Eternal Lullaby The Depth of Adolescence
by Ngoc Chau
Summary: Before Hellboy. The year is 1911. Karl Kroenen feels new emotions for his friend; a boy with enigmatic amber eyes. Could there be a connection between his new love and his late Golden-Eyed Beauty? Part 2 of Eternal Lullaby series. Kroenen/OC. R&R fluff
1. Choking On Water

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**Please read and review. **

**Also, please read "Geminis & Aquarius" and answer the poll for it.**

**Enjoy**

**To clear up one thing again, I'm not exactly putting in the city at the time and places. It's going to be the states, okay? And Stuttgart is a city in Baden-Wuerttemberg.**

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**This chapter's song is;**

**_"Innocence"_  
by  
Avril Lavigne**

**http: // www . youtube .com/watch?v=Ir2Sg_8hC3w**

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**Chapter Piece;**

_His eyes opened and closed under, he had just met 'her' again and now he was going to die. He laughed mentally at himself. The bitterness of it all. Maybe that night in the alley, he really was supposed to die, this was his fate and punishment for being the cause of her death. One's own demise truly was inevitable, there was no point ever to fighting, you die one way or another, whether it was early or late.  
You die. Now he was going to die. He was going to die young, still in his rawest state,  
before he had to end his career of being a singer,  
before he could go off to university,  
before he could travel the world like he dreamed of,  
before he got married, before his ripe age,  
before he could do anything, he was going to die. Just then as he looked up, he saw something. He kept his eyes open to see what it could be._

_It was Evangeline._

_Maybe he was already dead and this was heaven. He smiled and used up what was left of his breath and strength to reach for her, to touch her again. She was right above him in the moving water, it looked like she had wide open wings on her back, out-stretched. Was she a bird? An angel?  
Then, her hands came around his face, white sleeves flowing around her bare arms. Her hair sunk in and spread all over like wild-fire. The locks of ebony looked like thin seaweed under water.  
This was definitely heaven, he would be with the woman that haunted his memories for 3 years of his life.  
Her face looked worried, like she was going to cry. Strange, the longer he looked, the more he thought of Evan. They definitely could've passed for brother and sister. But Evan didn't have a sister.... maybe they were cousins._

_Just then, as the bubble under water carried away the very last of his breath, her face came closer to his. He closed his eyes, just waiting for the watery grave that would be his in but a few moments. But, he felt something press against his mouth. He opened his eyes, feeling air in his water-filled lungs again.  
She said under water, bubbles escaping from her red-lined mouth, 'Ruprecht.'_

_He was so tired of kicking against the river and holding onto that little locket, he just closed his eyes and all went black._

_All he felt now was the feeling of weightlessness._

* * *

_**Baden-Wuerttemberg**_**_, Germany  
1911_**

* * *

Young Karl Ruprecht Kroenen of age 14 sat on the wooden bridge at the edge of the river.  
He wore casual clothes for the spring.  
His fishing pole had been still for about 45 minutes now, with nary a bite.

Stuttgart was a nice place to visit in the spring a place where the wild flowers grew in great bounties and with the sweetest smells of perfume, his mother's relatives always took him to the nicest landscapes where he could sing and hear his voice echo back. He always found such a joy in it. Also, his uncle had been showing him some things in clockwork. The thought of gears and simple machines working together to make something so complicated always intrigued him. His high intelligence had always been to his advantage when his uncle was teaching.  
He rarely had to ask questions like his older-by-a-year cousin about machinery.

He sighed as he looked down at the clear blue water. All he could see were little movements and round stones way, way down at the bottom of the river.  
God, where were the fish today?  
Suddenly, a loud siren from the fire brigade had him snap his head back to see what was the commotion all about.

Stuttgart had been getting so many fires recently, it was like some pyromaniac had gone loose. Setting the pole firmly on the bridge to not let the current carry it away while he was up, he walked off to some peak at the river fields and saw a spot where grey clouds were festering up into the clear skies. By the pattern of fire accidents and the large blue sigh he could see from the fields, it seemed like the fish monger's shop had caught on fire....again.  
How could a place that was filled with water, be close to water, and always wet catch on fire so often?  
Honestly, that was the 5th fire there _this _month!

He walked back to his spot on the bridge to resume with his fishing.  
Even though he was studious and hard-working, there were times when he just wanted to do something in complete silence that didn't really need his complete attention and concentration. He enjoyed just reading, looking out the window, anything where there was a chance for him to think and to logically ponder if outing a set of gears here instead of there would make it work better or have it do a different job.  
He sat back down at his usual spot and picked up his fishing pole. He reeled it in and shot the hook out farther. Then, he went back to his valley of thoughts.

* * *

Again, once more, another noise knocked him out of his thinking.

He noticed that there was a lot of yelling coming from the other side of the river. He looked up due to curiosity. All he could see from his view was a group of about 4 large boys, possibly around his age. They weren't exactly large and rugged, more like they were large, fat and pompous.  
They were in a circle around something, maybe a dead animal or whatnot. He thought maybe one of them was making a commotion over nothing just because one of them was scared or wanted attention. He didn't really take any of it to thought... until he heard an _agonizing_ scream.

He quickly threw back his pole onto the wooden bridge and stood up to get a better look at what was happening over there. He saw what was in the center of the crowd, a thin boy dressed in rags.  
He couldn't really take injustice so easily. He briskly marched over to the crowd, but stopped halfway.

The victim to their bullying had leapt to his feet and started to fight back.

He bit, he clawed, he kicked, he even pulled hair. Kroenen was wondering whether or not now to help or just leave him be since it seemed that he was doing a good job defending himself. But the tables turned on the ragged boy.  
The smallest out of the pompus buffons tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

The boy was kicking and screaming, threatening, "If you go any farther with me, _you'll regret it!!!"_

The bullies laughed and resumed with punching him and spitting in his face. Kroenen didn't waste a second, he rushed over to the bully was straddling the small boy and punched him straight in the face.  
Kroenen was never the one with brute strength, but that punch knocked the bully a good 5 feet away. The ragged boy scrambled up to his feet, aching, and got into a fighting stance. Karl readied himself as well, his fists held up high.

He looked over to the boy who was panting and attempting to catch his breath. But he didn't really pay attention because in an instant one of them charged at him and Karl dodged it, sending an uppercut to his jaw.

* * *

The fight was longer than they would've thought. Karl was sure that with the bullies apparent lack of stamina, they would've tired and left in defeat, but it seemed that they were going in one at a time to fight.  
Karl was fast, but there were a few times that he should have moved and he didn't.

Seriously, he wished he could be perfect.  
Never tired, always better and better.

He felt a sharp pain on his shoulder. But the pain didn't feel so bad... instead, if felt good as cold rain to him. There had always been some sort of joy in the pain, in feeling stings on flesh. It fed his desire to fight even more. He wasn't really afraid of getting hurt, he relished it to help him ever since he was as young as 11 years old.  
To feel the pain and love it, each cut and bruise and strike made him stronger. Thus, he enjoyed fighting, especially when it was against someone who could also hold their own.

He kicked the gorilla below the legs and the bully fell with a horrifying groan.  
Kroenen was alert to whatever might come at him.  
The ragged boy was doing just fine, falling and getting a punch in every so often. But whenever he fell, it looked like it was a planned move since he was always able to swiftly jump to his feet from lying on his backside.

The ragged boy spun on one of his foot while his other leg struck at 2 incoming. Unfortunately, the third one he hit, he got his foot stuck in the gorilla's gut.  
Karl rolled on the grass, missing a kick that was supposed to go low. Then, right behind a tree a few yards away, he saw 2 thick branches that was just right for a little 'sword-play'. He got up and ran away.

The ragged boy looked at him with worried eyes. He feared he was going to have to do what he didn't really hope he didn't have to. The bullies surrounded him again, coming in menacingly with bruises all over their faces and disfiguring bumps. The unknown boy concentrated on his hands and jumped to deliver 2 punches to the first boy in front of him, one to the chest and the second to the gut.

He toppled over, gasping and flopping on the grass like a fish. But one of them was actually smart and prepared for what the ragged boy would do next.

He grabbed him and held his arms down while one rolled up his sleeves to fully punch him and the other ran to the dead weight on the grass and tried to bring him back. The sweaty oaf pulled back his fish, to get more of a swing, but then Kroenen jumped in between. In his hands were the 2 large branches. He used them in an X-Pattern to block the punch. The boy looked up in shock to what had just happened, but he was probably going to wish that he didn't.  
Because the next thing the guy saw was a fist in the face.

He turned to the bully still holding the boy behind him. The boy dropped him and ran away into the town. Karl tossed the other stick to the ragged boy who caught it swiftly.  
"Do you know how to fight with swords?" Karl asked.

The boy looked down at the stick in his hand, the brim of his large brown hat covered about his face.

Karl took a guess at what the boy was probably thinking now, "Just pretend that it is a sword."

The boy nodded and gripped it.  
They looked at the group of 4, well... one unconscious and 3 who was just whimpering with fear and probably hoping that they still looked intimidating with their puffed out chests. It was so pathetic.

Kroenen seethed under his teeth, "Get out of here."

The boys nodded and ran away.

Karl looked back at the boy and smiled a crooked smile. Then he went back to his fishing, not even waiting to accept a thank you. But as soon as he bent down to pick up his pole, the bridge was vibrating with the running steps of another person.  
He looked up to see the boy panting, his face flushed. The boy panted out, "You're hurt."

He had no idea what he was talking about. He didn't feel a single ounce of pain, just the rush of flying into action and beating the crap out of a group of bullies and a growing warmth in his stomach.  
He graped the fishing pole and sat down and reeled in the line to toss it far again. The boy pointed with an unexpected pale hand that was scarred with light violet towards Kroenen's hand. Karl was taken aback a bit. He was definitely not expecting to see a burnt hand.  
He quickly asked outloud, "Did they _burn_ you?"

The boy shook his head, "Don't worry, this is nothing to worry about."  
Still, Karl was curious, he always had to know everything. But before he could speak, the boy sat down next to him and answered, "It just happened. I was born like _this_."

Karl was confused. He had never heard of a case where someone was born with serious burn scars before. But before he could take more thought into it, the ragged boy took off his hat.  
Without his hat on, the boy was beautiful.  
His black raven hair was cropped short just below his ears -cut so jaggedly, it was as though he had just cut it off without looking at a mirror. His skin was white and flawless, but thankfully, there were none of the ugly scars on his lovely face. However, there were some noticable marks on his long neck.  
His face was perfect, completely symetrical. His cheeks were high and dimpled to fit his features. Everything about him was captivating to Karl.

His heart was beating so fast around this boy that he was befuddled about what he was thinking and feeling. He mustered up enough courage to look this boy in the eyes and he was shocked to see that they were a beautiful golden-colour like.... Evangeline's.  
He opened his mouth hesitantly and introduced himself with a hand held out, "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen. And you are?"

The boy grabbed his hand and they shook.  
"Evan, my name is Evan."

Kroenen was still holding onto Evan's hand, not wanting to let go, all the old feelings that Evangeline had stirred up in him was coming back with every heart-beat. Evan's eyes were just like hers, wide with long eyelashes that were like butterfly wings.  
He bet that his lips were soft as hers, maybe softer... he suddenly stopped shaking his hand and snapped out of the grip.  
What was he thinking now?  
He wasn't _gay_! He liked _girls_!  
What would his parents think of him?  
What would his other friends and everybody else think if they thought he... Oh God. He had to remind himself, this wasn't _his_ Golden-Eyed Beauty from yore. This was probably her _brother_ or something... yeah.... her brother.

He asked him, "Um... do you have a sister?"

"A sister?"

"Yes, do you have a sister?"

Evan shook his head, "I don't have a sister."

"Did you every have one, though?"

"No, I'm an only child."

Kroenen felt disappointed, he thought he could have another connection to her besides her mask, but apparently not now.  
Evan looked at Karl intently, he asked nervously, "Karl."

Karl reeled in his line and tossed it out again, "Yeah?"

Evan was leaning in a little _too_ close now, even if they were boys. His little thin lips puckered up a bit and asked softly, "Do you think_ I_ could call you '_Ruprecht_' instead of _Karl_?"

'_Just like Evangeline.'_ he thought to himself.  
Evangeline had always been on his mind, since the second he saw her behind the stage in her intricate costume. But the memory of her was kept at bay due to his shows and busy school schedule.  
Most of the time when she did come up was during his.... ahem.... _'special alone time'_ with an oak branch. Now it was like she was alive again, this time... to Karl's dismay, as a boy.  
After the night in the alley, Karl had thought up thousands of little conversations between himself and Evangeline if they would ever meet again. Evan was the closest thing so far now to her.  
But why was he so tongue-tied? He had thought up everything and planned everything in his head, but now it was as though all those little htings ere useless and would do absolutely nothing.

First he started with the basics, "So... do you live somewhere around here?"

Evan sat up straighter and pointed to the far left of the town, "My parents are the shoe cobblers here."

Karl was confounded. He had been coming to Baden-Wuerttenberg since he was about 5 years old and he had never seen Evan or anyone like him before. He didn't even think that the old shoe cobblers who always stayed in their shop and rarely came out even had a child his age!  
He asked, "Really, then why haven't I seen you before here?"

There was some hesitance in Evan. The expression on his face was one stuck at a loss of musing. It was like he was wondering if he should lie. But subtly, the expression turned to one who was completely lost. Then his explanation came, "Oh, I just came here a few weeks ago."

Karl tilted his head a bit, luckily his pole started twitching so that gave his attention somewhere else to focus than the enticing boy next to him.  
Finally there were some fish biting now! He was ecstatic since he had been out for hours and didn't even get a single minnow on his hook. He leaned in forward, "Yes, I've finally caught one!"

The neutral expression on Evan's face grew to one of excitement, "How big do you think it is?"

Karl struggled against the current, the pole even starting to bend to resemble something of a candy cane. "I don't know, but it must be big. It feels like a monster!"

There was a small creak-creak-creaking sound and before Karl could process what was happening, Evan already had his hands on Karl's and helping him pull. His hands were chafing and rubbing against the tough wood and wire. He was just ready to call it quits and give the pole up until there was a huge snap! From out the clear water, a huge bass about 2-3 feet long sprung out of the water.  
The dim sunlight shining and basking in it's glory. Both boys were open mouthed to believe that such a gigantic fish was in the little river under the bridge. Unfortunately, the elastic and release effect of the fish flopping out and flying through the air, resulted in Evan falling forward on Karl in a _very close and intimate_ position.

By instinct, his hands dropped the fishing pole at his side and immediately crept up Evan's shoulders. Even Evan himself looked confused by the action, but not as much as Karl.  
Still, they found themselves looking at each straight in the eyes, as though they were watching each other through the windows of their souls, deep down. He had never looked at a boy straight on like that -except for a fight or so- thus the new experience was... almost frightening to feel. It was like he was looking through him, trying to find something that was important and focused on it. Karl could feel his face getting redder and redder by the second, he could easily see the same effect happening on Evan's pale face.

Just then the huge bass that had been in mid-air and now flying down on the bridge landed with a very set splat on Evan's back. Evan yelped a bit and hid his face in Karl's clean navy vest.  
Karl's arms tightened around Evan when he saw that moment of helplessness. He muttered out in the muffle of Karl's vest, "Yuck, I think I got fish slime on my back."

Karl stood up, still holding Evan's shoulders in his hands. He leaned his neck out a bit, looking at the patched up back of the brown jacket, "Ugh, you're right." He started laughing because of the large oddly shaped stain on Evan's back.

Evan did a mocked disappointed sigh, "I must be the most unluckiest person in Germany, no.. in the world!"

"I don't see how you are."

Evan got up completely off of Karl and kneeled down next to him, "They say what goes around, comes around."

Karl really had no idea what Evan was talking about.  
Evan explained himself with a happy expression, "You see, I gave my clothes to somebody and took these clothes in return. Then those idiots came after me, calling me stupid! I mean, I was just being nice, but for no good reason, they started to beat me!"  
He suddenly looked up to the sky and stood up, taking off the patched jacket and rolling it up into a bundle in his arms. He asked, "Ruprecht, what time is it?"

He stood up and took out his custom designed pocket-watch, one of his own creations that he made from extra parts. "It's 5:30"

Evan sighed wistfully, "I have to get home now." then he smiled a toothy grin that was filled with pearly white teeth, "I wonder what my mother is going to say when she sees that I've given away my clothing _again!"_

Karl took off his vest and offered, "If you want, you could have this. I don't exactly like it."

Evan brushed it away, "Thank you, but that's too much. You've already saved me." He walked off the bridge back to the town, "Bye, Ruprecht. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Kroenen waved back. He hooked up his fish and held it over his shoulder. But the reminiscent feeling of also having had watched Evangeline walk away just moments before her death urged him to run after him.  
He ran after, "Wait, Evan!"

Evan turned around, "Yes?"

With a shy look on his face, he asked, "Do you think I could walk you home?"

Evan looked surprised at the offer. "......Sure!"

* * *

They walked together down the road. Mostly just taking in each other's company in silent. It wasn't too long till after they started talking about random things such as the weather and how big the fish was. As they walked up and down the corners through the streets, Evan asked, "Ruprecht?"

"Hm?"

He grabbed him by the collar and made him face him straight in the eye. "Ruprecht, you _have_ to tell me this."

"What is it?"

"Have we ever met before? You look _so_ familiar, like I should know you, but I _can't_ remember!"

Karl wasn't sure how to exactly answer, sure Evan looked exactly like Evangeline's double and it was like she came back. But reincarnation was out of the idea, she died 2 years ago and by normal chronology, Evan couldn't have been..... well, Evan did look close to his age. But he couldn't be her in no way whatsoever. And this was about the first time that Karl had met 'Evan', so there was only 1 answer.  
"Sorry, I don't think we've met before."

Evan sighed, "Shoot, I really thought I knew you before. You _do_ look so familiar."

Finally, they made it to the shoe cobbler's, with the large sign in the shape of a shoe.  
"Thank you for walking me home." He nodded smiling, but suddenly, the door in front of the shop opened up. A large plump woman with snow white hair and light age wrinkles stood in front of the doorway. Wrinkles adorned the sides of her mouth and the corners of her eyes. She looked old enough to be his grandmother in lieu of his mother. She exclaimed with arms wide out, "Evan!"  
It appeared as though she stopped in mid-sentence, "Evan, don't tell me that you gave away your clothes _again_." She crossed her arms in front of her large chest.

Evan was about to open his mouth to explain, when his mother just shouted out-loud, "Hey, who are you?"  
Evan looked to Karl, who was standing right behind him.

Karl turned around and did a small bow, "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen."

The large woman gasped and asked in a shocked voice, "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen? The Songbird of Munich?"

"_Songbird_?" Evan asked.

Karl did a small chuckle and scratched the back of his head, "Yes."

The woman said, "I'm Myrna Volksky." she eyed Kroenen like a slab of meat, "What is someone like _you_ doing in a little town like _this_?"

"Just for a small school vacation."

"Ah." she looked to Evan who was fidgeting with his shoes. She slapped her forehead, "Your shoes, too?"

He answered quickly, his shoulders rising with the same tone of his voice, "the poor little boy said his shoes were too cold for him."

She sighed, "You're good, but there are limits. Now, in the house you go."

Evan stepped in between the doorway and his mother and said, "Bye, Ruprecht!"

Karl nodded and walked away. But as he was leaving, there was a loud tapping sound. He turned around and saw that the door had closed but a figure was at the window. He saw from the window, Evan. In just a few seconds he was already upstairs and it seemed that he had gotten something ready to show him in the short amount of time.  
On a sheet of paper that he pressed against the window, it read; '_Meet me at the bridge tomorrow at 3!' _

Karl waved and skipped home. Though it is better to say that he was practically floating back home.

His mind and heart set on Evan, _his_ Golden-Eyed Prince.

* * *

Karl was just tapping his pencil against his music stand. Waiting for 3 o' clock to just come and hurry up.  
_Dong.  
Dong..  
Dongg.._  
The bell chimed in the grandfather clock. Then from a little door in the middle of the golden face came a little blue and green hummingbird which produced a small buzzing sound.

Karl hit his head on the low desk next to the music stand which was piled high with books; a low groan emitted from his throat. It was _only_ 1 o' clock!  
How could time pass by so slowly?  
Why was it when there was nothing else to do on other days, it felt like time was too fleeting and the days were too short?  
He stood up and wandered about the room, before he realized, _'Oh, maybe I can go to Uncle's shop for a bit.'_ He picked up his hat and jacket and a small screwdriver set that his uncle had given him on the first day he had come, then scrambled his way down the wooden creaking stairs. His mother and father were reading in room below, both had their noses stuck in what they were reading.  
It was only when Karl took another step to the door, did his mother suddenly ask out loud, "Where are you going, Karl?"

Karl answered without a second thought, "I'm going to uncle's clock-shop."

His father spoke up, "How long are you going to be gone for?"

"Just till 5 or so, maybe sixish."

His father and mother set down their books and looked up at him, "Just what will you be doing that long? Today, the shop's going to close at around 3:45."

Karl answered sheepishly, "I don't know, maybe I'll be taking a walk around the river."

His mother raised an eyebrow up, "Karl, what's the _real_ reason?"  
Mothers. How do they always know what's the ulterior motive? It's like they had a freaking detector in their brains which just buzzes when they hear someone saying something that doesn't sound right.

Karl answered truthfully, as much as he could, "I'm just going to the bridge, that's all."

His mother stood up, the page book-marked with her fingers, "_Karl_." The glare in her eyes intensified. Again, how could mothers do that stare which made you just want to tell them everything and whatever else they wanted to hear? He tried to tear his eyes away from her 'look', but it proved difficult. The special thing about his mother's look when she was interrogating was that you could never look away from those steely blue eyes of hers.

He sighed and knew that he was defeated against his mother, "I'm going to go and meet a friend!"

His mother perked up when she walked back to her seat, going back to her more care-free self, "A friend? Is is a _girl_friend?"

Karl could just hear the gears in his mother's head shifting, "No, it's _just_ a friend!"

Now it was his father's turn to question and conclude. "Oh, what kind of friend is it, son?"  
With his father, Karl knew that it was pretty straight-forward, play and hang with guys who had proper reputations and wouldn't get him into danger or drag him down to scum.

He answered carefully, "It's just a guy I met at the river yesterday."

His father inquired, "So, who _is_ he?"

"He's the shoe cobblers' son."

His father lowered his book, "Really, they have a kid _your age_?"

"Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?"

His father shrugged his shoulder and answered, "Well, they're just pretty old and I've never seen them have a kid before so...."

His mother snapped at his father, "Dear, don't say something like that in front of Karl. God knows he might say it out loud to them and you're the one who'll get all the blame!"

His father chuckled, "Not all of it, of course some will go to you as well, darling."

His mother did a mock face of spite. Seeing that his parents might've forgotten completely about him, he asked pointing at the door with his thumb, "So, may I go?"  
His father was more alert and turned his attention to his son, instead of his wife who was giving her husband a strange look in her eyes,  
"Sure, is he a nice boy?"

Although Karl had many things to say about Evan, he feared that his parents might be a bit shocked to hear, hence the fear of homosexuality in their time. So, all he did was answer, "Yeah."

His father looked at him blankly, before waving his hand and saying, "Then, have a nice time, son!"

He was certainly going to have a nice time.

He walked quickly out of the door, lest his parents changed his mind.

* * *

As he walked down the street, to his uncle's shop at the end on the corner, he saw a small boy in the barber's shop, sweeping up hair. The bald man inside with a red nose was laughing heartil; his voice booming deep like soft thunder, "Good job, here's your hour's pay."

"Thank you, sir." came the familiar celeste voice.

Karl walked back to see who was the source of the voice. It was Evan. And.... he was working in the barber shop? Karl went to the barred window and tapped 5 sharp taps. When Evan noticed and turned to the window, Karl gave him a bright smile as he waved.  
He waved back and bid the barber good bye. As soon as he stepped through the door, the bell dinged. Karl asked, "What were you doing in there?"

"Just a little bit of working."

Karl took a look at Evan's clothes today. It appeared he was telling the truth, his clothes today looked just as nice as Karl's. A nice dark and white creamy colour contrasting together to make a striking ensemble. However, he was soaking wet.  
"Evan, why are you all wet?"  
His voice was sharp almost -the consanents biting and tapping off his tongue and teeth- but he didn't mean to make it that way of course. His voice just came out that way as a way of questionning. It really did see to be true; Evan was the most unlucky person in all of Germany.

Evan looked down at his soaked clothes, it was hanging off of him like coats on a coat rack. He started to chuckle nervously, "I fell into some water."

Karl didn't think that Evan would be one to fall in to water so easily, least of all be soaked from head to toe. Plus, there was that little thing called intuition that just told him when someone was lying or not. It was probably something that he picked up from his mom. Good God, that lady could tell the difference between which was the raw egg in a batch of cold hard-boiled eggs,  
"Evan, I can tell you're lying. Were those bullies picking on you again? You know you can tell me."

Evan sighed and his eyes were half closed as he asked, "How is it you can tell when I'm lying?" His hand went to adjust the baggy hat over his head, the few strands of hair poking out from under tha burlap-like material.

Karl shrugged his shoulders, "I guess I know you a lot better than you think."  
They stood right in front of the shop, until the barber stepped out and shooed them away with a forced painted grin on his wrinkled face, "You can talk all you want, but you can't stand in front of my door!"

They walked away, just wandering around the streets for a while.

The squishing sounds of leather and cloth scratched against his eardrums and he just wanted to... he scratched the thought immediately from his head. His eyes traveled up and down his slinky form, the clothes wrapped themselves around him like twisted snakes. Just looking at him was getting him irritated, he could almost feel discomfort rolling off of him and he was almost furious that he would submit himself to such a punishment. Most of all, he was furious as to what sort of person would do that to him. How someone could find a pleasure in tormenting him.  
After a few silent moments of biting his tongue, he finally spoke out, "Why _are_your clothes wet?" he turned around to face Evan directly and grabbed his soaking wet wrist to acent his point, "And don't lie to me and give me some bogus excuse that you simply fell into the water. If someone did this to you, I want you to trust me enough to tell me."

His golden eyes traveled from his wrist in front of his face to his face. Those golden orbs jumped side to side, surely looking for some sort of bluff or something else that could be on his face. He was sure that the only thing on his face was a look of seriousness. He heard a gulp. He sighed and answered in a defeated tone, "Someone fell into the water near where I was working and I swapped clothes again."

Karl believed him right away, "Really?"

"I can only hope that he won't be too embarrassed by what I gave him." A small blush came onto Evan's face as soon as he mentioned swapping clothes with another boy. Karl couldn't help but feel a small twinge at his chest when he thought about that blush of Evan's. Evan obviously mistook that look of jealous on Karl's face and assumed, "Oh, you don't even want to know what he was wearing! It's too much and he's probably going to hate me for it!"  
Karl wouldn't really mind if this boy and his Evan would be enemies. He would be there to protect Evan if anything happened. If the world came crashing down, he would let it rot and die before he could allow this boy to. If Evan ever needed him, he would be there till the bitter end.

Evan suddenly asked, "Ruprecht, what time is it?"

He took out his pocket watch and read out loud, "It's... 1:30."

Evan slapped his forehead, "Sorry, Ruprecht! But I just have one more job to do and we can see each other again."  
Before he could say or add anything to that, Evan had already ran off, little beads of water dripping off him and his cropped black hair. The boy was much too obsessed with time. He smiled as he watched Evan run through the streets, no one noticing anything about him. He bet that no one would even offer to help him for anything. The only thing that Karl was wishing now was that... nothing bad would happen to Evan and he would see him the next time alive.

He quickly made his way to his uncle's clock and repair shop. As he turned the handle and walked through the pine-smelling shop, his uncle walked out in a dusty green apron, greeting, "Welcome to 'Gears Alive' and.... Oh, Karl, what are you doing here?"  
His uncle was older than his father. His hair was never as neat as his father, but it still looked nice. The colour of it was a greying brown that grew like a plant in thick strands. His beard mixed iwth his sidebrows and he had larger ears than anybody he knew. He wasn't as built as his father was; his form instead was a more scrawny but full body. Albeit his looks weren't as great as most of the other family members, his intelligence was greater than most and he always had a smile on his face which had him seem appealing.

Karl hung up his hat and jacket at the rack in the corner of the room, behind a door, "I'm just here to experiment."

His uncle scoffed, "Experiment with what? There's really nothing to experiment, you know a lot more about clocks than your lazy cousin."

A "Hey!" came from the other room behind the counter, "I can hear you out there, pop!"

"Lazy, you can't even come out here to tell that to your pop's face!"

"Busy!"

His uncle muttered under his breath, something about having daughters would've been better, then his face brightened up as he picked up something from under the counter, "Karl, I have something for you!"  
Karl strode over to the counter and looked over, "What is it?"

His uncle came up with a small stand that had a little dancer in the middle of it with her leg upraised. He kept his face on the little trinket, but his eyes looked up at his uncle, "Uh... isn't it a little..?"  
Before he had a chance to finish, his uncle interrupted, "Just watch!"

He picked it up and spun a little wind up on the bottom of it. As soon as he set it down, the little dancer started spinning. Although it looked plain, Karl noticed that the dancer was swaying her head and moving her arms as she spun. He was interested by such a human feature that his uncle had given to the inanimate object. Aside from that, it was playing an aria of Mozart, 'Symphony 25 in G Minor'.  
However, the little dancing toy was a bit too girly for his taste. His uncle uncle started talking, "Isn't it beautiful, Karl m'boy?" he picked her up and handed it to Karl.

"Don't you think this is a little....y'know, Uncle?"

His uncle slapped his forehead and complained, "Of course, how could I have forgotten the _other_ half?" He ran to the back of his shop and came rushing back to the counter, in his hands was a large cardboard box that was fairly around the size of 4 heads of lettuce. He set the box down on the wooden counter with a clink. He looked into the box as his uncle leaned back against the wall behind the counter. "Get it?" his uncle was asking with a 200-watt smile on his face.

Even with Karl's very high academic report and brains, he didn't really understand what his uncle meant by it. "Yeah." he answered quickly.

His uncle stood up and answered his own rhetorical question, "That is just a prototype for you, Karl. I thought you might want to learn how to make music with mere clockwork. It's really quite interesting, you know."  
He was interested. He could make clocks easy, with his hands behind his back and his eyes closed, but making the gears and springs play music itself as well, then that was something that he just had to know. "That would be amazing, Uncle."

His uncle nodded eagerly and poured out the contents of the box onto the counter, from the pocket of his apron, he pulled out some tools. "Now, Karl. What you do is....."

* * *

After just 2 hours, Karl had memorized the entire method of bending the angles and what not of the gears and things to produce sound. With what he had, he just made a small palm-fitting box-like object that was in the shape of an oval.  
It was silver, with the carvings of a 2 wolves facing each other at profile and a crown on the top between their heads. He was able to carve it so swiftly and perfect in but 15 minutes, a symbol of his family crest. Just as the first test, he set it up so that instead of activating it by just a wind-up key, you would open it and the hinges would start it off, then as back-up, would you turn the key tight. The song he chose for his first musical contraption was Fur Elise, a simple piece for a simple box. As he looked and eyed at htis little 1-inch thing, he felt that it was too plain. He decided to add a chain to it, just like what he did for his pocket-watch.

As he was bending the little bits of wire to make the chain-links, his uncle who was now just sweeping up the shop, asked, "What are you adding the chain for, Karl?"

He answered as he was still working, "I don't know, it felt a little.... it felt like it was missing something."

His uncle walked over to look at it, "That's very pretty, do you know who you're going to give it to?"

Karl thought about giving it to his mother at first, but since it was his first one, he wouldn't want to give her a test piece, a better product after a few more trials. His father was an idea, but the closest thing that his father would want in music was listening to him sing and the concerts they went to, not this little trinket.  
Just then, he thought of Evan and.... Evan! Oh no, what time was it?! He pulled out his watch and the time read a good 3:40! He was 40 minutes late already! He ran to the rack behind the door and grabbed his coat and hat,  
"Bye, Uncle. Thank you for the lesson!" he bidded.

His uncle waved to the thin air where his nephew had been just a few seconds ago.

He ran out on to the streets, gracefully dodging the cars and carts that were running like buzzing bees. He ran past the church in such a hurry that the clergy man lost all his papers in the wind. "Slow down, there is no need to rush!" he cried out to the runaway Karl, as he was shaking his loose papers in his fist.  
Karl could only think of cursing thoughts to the clergy man who said that there was no need to rush. He was more than a whole half hour for his meeting with his new friend and the running time from the clock shop to the bridge was a full 15 minutes! If you were to run straight for that long, anyway.

Finally, he arrived at the bridge, where he saw Evan sitting on the side, with his legs hanging out. He was slouching, his burnt hands holding his lovely face. It appeared that he had changed, but he wore work clothes instead of something casual.  
It didn't seem that he saw Karl because he started to get up and walk out into the woods.

Karl chased after him in the woods, "Evan!"

Evan turned around, a look of shock on his face, then an odd expression that was like something had just sucked the life out of him.  
He snapped back to reality, "Ruprecht! Stop!"

He didn't know why he should stop, he just wanted to run quickly to apologize to his new friend, but then his foot broke through a board on the wooden bridge! He fell forward, crashing onto the railing of the bridge and having that break against the force of his impact.  
He fell into the water. From looking up at the bridge, one could guess that the water wasn't all that deep, only 3 feet or so. But looks could be deceiving. It was actually much deeper than that, so deep that his feet couldn't even touch the bottom.

The river was suddenly so fierce and cruel, crashing him about in the coldness. It growled as he moved in it, all sounds were muffled, all sounds were so much more intense. Everything rumbled in his eardrums, like the role of a chorus of marching drums.  
The music box was still in his grip, slipping away, while he squeezed it tight like it was his very essence of life instead of the last few bubbles in his lungs that were slowly being replaced by water.  
His hat was lost, floating down the current, perhaps never to be seen again.

He tried to go across the flow, to either side of the shore. He went under, the entire vision was blurry to him, swaying waves and small schools of fish. When he realized what was happening, he screamed.  
No good, no air.  
His lungs felt like they would implode, devour itself to just get a small breath of air. His chest hurt so much, he kicked more to just relieve the pain. No, that didn't work. His head jerked and shaked and twisted to and fro, just trying to hold on, mediate on the last few ounces of air that was escaping him.  
He tried to kick up, but the river rolled him back down under. When had the river been so rough. Why, just yesterday when he was fishing in it, it looked calm and serene, still like it was frozen in ice.  
He was able to get his face to the surface at least once to get in a breath of air. Before he could even finish breathing, he sunk down again. He tried to swim straight, but the current knocked him off course, sending him farther down with it. He looked up from beneath the water, the blue skies were but a blur of lines as he rushed down, the darkness was closing in on him. His chest felt like it was about to burst open. He wasted too much of his energy running to the bridge.

Where was that blasted adrenaline you heard so much about when you were in danger?  
He could've really used it about now.

His eyes opened and closed under, he had just met 'her' again and now he was going to die. He laughed mentally at himself. The bitterness of it all. Maybe that night in the alley, he really was supposed to die, this was his fate and punishment for being the cause of her death. One's own demise truly was inevitable, there was no point ever to fighting, you die one way or another, whether it was early or late.  
You die. Now he was going to die. He was going to die young, still in his rawest state,  
before he had to end his career of being a singer,  
before he could go off to university,  
before he could travel the world like he dreamed of,  
before he got married, before his ripe age,  
before he could do anything, he was going to die. Just then as he looked up, he saw something. He kept his eyes open to see what it could be.

It was Evangeline.

Maybe he was already dead and this was heaven. He smiled and used up what was left of his breath and strength to reach for her, to touch her again. She was right above him in the moving water, it looked like she had wide open wings on her back, out-stretched and white like snow. Was she a bird? An angel?  
Then, her hands came around his face, white sleeves flowing around her bare arms. Her hair sunk in and spread all over like wild-fire. The locks of ebony looked like thin seaweed under water.  
This was definitely heaven, he would be with the woman that haunted his memories for 3 years of his life.  
Her face looked worried, like she was going to cry. Strange, the longer he looked, the more he thought of Evan. They definitely could've passed for brother and sister. But Evan didn't have a sister.... maybe they were cousins.

Just then, as the bubble under water carried away the very last of his breath, her face came closer to his. He closed his eyes, just waiting for the watery grave that would be his in but a few moments. But, he felt something press against his mouth. He opened his eyes, feeling air in his water-filled lungs again.  
She said under water, bubbles escaping from her red-lined mouth, '_Ruprecht_.'

He was so tired of kicking against the river and holding onto that little locket, he just closed his eyes and all went black.

All he felt now was the feeling of weightlessness.

* * *

"Ruprecht! Ruprecht!" he opened his eyes to the noise that was blasting right in his ears.

He snapped right up, "God!" He looked at himself, was he actually alive? He just couldn't believe it! He recounted what had just happened, first he saw Evan on the brdige, then he ran after him. Evan was screaming at him for something but then Karl fell into the river.  
Then he saw Evangeline with wings.  
He was sure that he drowned and died. He looked to the right of him, there sat Evan who was clutching his chest and staring with an angry face.

Both were speechless, not knowing what really to say right now. Karl went first, "What happened there?"

Evan sighed and from behind him, he pulled out Karl's hat.... which was surprisingly dry like a bone, "You fell in the river."

Okay, so that part he was right, he remembered that happening. But what really happened after? He looked around, he didn't recognize where he was. Heck, he could swear that he had never been in this part of the woods. They were at a clear field next to the river where the earth dipped into a slope into the water, with a large oak tree behind them. "Where are we?"

He looked up and all around, "I would say that we're halfway to the next town east."

"What?!"

Evan took another sigh and explained, "You fell into the water. Then I fished you out. But it seems that you floated all the way down here before I could catch up."

Karl nodded, that sounded logical. But as he took a look at Evan, he asked something, "How long was I unconscious for?"

Evan's eyes rolled to the back of his head, "You were out for.... about an hour or so."

"So, an hour ago, I was in the water?"

"Yes."

Karl pointed a cold wet finger at Evan, "Why are you dry?"

He looked down at his clothes, "What do you mean?"

Karl took off his wet jacket, the cold was getting to him in the crisp spring air. "You said that it took some time for you to catch up to me. So that means you must've been swimming. There is no way you could've gotten me without swimming because the river itself is far too side in any way for you to just stay on land and grab for me."  
Evan was silent, like he didn't know how he could answer or explain himself.  
"So, how is it that you're completely dry when you should be as wet as I am now?"

Evan looked nervous now, Karl was thinking up every single explanation that was logical that he might use, there were none. He cleared his throat, his fingers tapping on the green grass. Just then, Evan asked out, "What is this, Ruprecht?"  
From under his sleeves, he pulled out the music box.  
Karl made a grab for it, completely forgetting about his question. He couldn't help but think that asking about this was a distraction that Evan hoped would work and it did. He opened it up, the music played just as well as before and the chain wasn't rusted or had any dents. Thank god by some great miracle, it was not damaged.

"So, it's a music box?"  
Karl looked up at him and held out the small trinket. He took a closer look, "Wow, it's so nice. Where did you get it? I've never seen anything like that around here before!"

Karl just couldn't believe how oblivious Evan was sometimes, "I made it for you."

A blush grew on Evan's face as he still looked at it, "Really? For me?" He gently and softly took it out of Karl's fingertips and put it around his neck, "You actually made this? I can't believe it."  
He opened it back up again, the song started playing. "Fur Elise, right? I know that this song was composed by either Beethoven or Mozart, I just always forget which one."

He simply nodded, so Evan did know some stuff about music. Great, he would teach Evan more and more if he wanted to know. He couldn't take his eyes off of his expression, it was so puzzling. the look was like something a cat would use when it looked into a paper bag and had no idea what it should do with it. He remembered seeing one of his grandparents' cats play inside a paperbag. The memory of it made his laugh.

"What are you laughing at, Ruprecht?"

"Nothing." he answered between stifling laughs.

Suddenly, he asked once more, "Do you think we should head back to town?"

Karl reached into his wet pocket and pulled out his watch. It was ticking, but there was no knowledge whether or not it was the correct time. He supposed that he saw Evan close to 4 o' clock, he was supposedly out for an hour, throw in a few extra minutes for falling into the river and drifting downstream. And the walk back would be about an hour and a half to a full 2 hours. Okay, yeah.... walking back would be a great idea.  
He got up and hung his jacket over his shoulder, "Great, _just_ great."

There was a sad tone in his voice, "This is my fault, isn't it?"

Karl looked up at this boy.

"I just wanted to see you again and then you almost drown to death _because of me_."

He sighed, god, why was this boy so adorable?! He came closer to him and stroked his cheek, a blush grew on both their faces, "It's not your fault, Evan. I wanted to see you today too. It's just that I was hoping we could talk more and do much more. But now... we have to walk half a distance back to town and I bet we'll both be in trouble."

Evan smiled an awkward smile at him as he grabbed onto his arm and said, "Let's see the glass as half full instead of half empty, Ruprecht.... In a way; we can still spend some time together. We can always talk on the way back..." he looked up to the sky, "And I heard that it's supposed to be a very lovely night, with a full moon. So that won't be any loss at all, to me." He looked up to the sky, then to the path back to town,  
"Yeah... You're right."

On the way back, they spent the entire time talking and laughing and joking, however the strange thing was that during their many conversations, not a single detail of Evan came up. The only thing he knew about this boy was that he was the cobblers' son and that he was as kind as an angel.  
Either than that, nothing else. He felt so ignorant. He probably knew so much about him, but he didn't even know a single thing about Evan.

When they came to the square of the little town, Evan insisted that they parted there. Without any question, Kroenen agreed. He wondered why he was so eager to suddenly get away from him. When he entered the house in the dark of the night, his parents had been sitting patiently and anxiously at the door for him.

"Karl!" his mother cried out as she ran to him, embracing him. "Where were you? Why are you all wet?"

Sigh, his clothes still weren't dry! How long had he been honestly walking for? An hour? 2 hours? He looked at the owl clock over his mother's shoulder. Wow... he had been walking back for about 2 hours!  
He took a deep breath. He was really going to have to think on his feet to tell his parents the truth, while still keeping out of trouble....

* * *

Holding the music box, Evan opened and closed the little music box to listen to the melody of Fur Elise.  
Evan loved to hear it over and over again, but mostly because Karl had made it and given it to Evan.

Suddenly, Evan closed it shut and said out to the darkness, "I know you're out there. My memory may be the most terrible, but I never forget people _like you_...." Turning around to look all over, Evan spoke out again with a dead seriousness, "What are you doing here? The fires in the town? The incident at the bridge? If you keep this up, we'll both be _discovered_."

Then from behind, a large shadow broke through. Like black ink peeling away, a face of incredible beauty appeared through. The face was one of masculine adolescence, with a sort of adulted tinge to it. The spiky hair was scarlet red with black strands and locks that separated so perfectly and evenly and the face's eyes were also a crimson red colour with streaks of black in the iris, matching the hair so sublimely. It couldn't be told what it was that he was wearing. Seeing pitch black in night was difficult to tell. But what he wore to cover up his nakednes certainly did it's job. It covered him enough, but left room for his hands and wrists, his chest that was padded with muscles, but not too much that it was overbearing.  
"My love." he spoke from the slinky shadows, "Am I that much of an unforgettable _experience_ to you?"

Evan looked down and with a glaring gaze, looked at him straight in the eye, "You are disgusting, get out of this town."

He came out of the shadows completely, tangling his arms from Evan's back and whispering in a sultry voice in Evan's ear, "You say that, but you don't really mean it. Do you know how hard it was to find you again after _that_ day in the bank with the stabbing, especially with your new disguise? I got in trouble so many times. Look at me, look at this young form, I'm not even matured yet. Just know it's because of you."

"I don't want to see you again, Bruce. You can die as many times as you want, I don't care. Why should I even care? You are _sick_... just like the rest of _them_." Evan spat, slapping away Bruce's hand that was just rubbing over Evan's lips so gently and teasingly.

Bruce retorted back in an outraged tone, "What? Are you angry because I sent _that_ mortal into the river? Is _that stupid human_ your _pet_?"

"He's not my _pet_.... he's my_ friend_."

Then Bruce smiled devilishly, "Your friend, eh? Do _you_ think he'll still be your _friend_... when he knows about _you_?"

"....Yes."

"You're going to die soon, do you think he'll be able to _forgive_ you for throwing away your life like _that_?"

Now Evan wasn't sure on how to answer, anybody would be angry..... it was considered sin to just give up the urge to live and die, unless it was for the sacrifice for someone.  
"He _will_ understand, I'm sure of it."

"Forget about him.... oh, wait. You _will_ when you die!"

Evan was trembling now, from fear and anger and outrage, "Are you just hear to taunt and mock me?" Evan suddenly bent over a bit from the shock and pain from a headache. A clenched hand rose up to massage the sore temple. Rising up and composing one's self, Evan stood stiff.

"Actually... I'm here to ask you again to join us.. it's a lot more fun, y'know." Bruce tilted his head and looked at Evan's eyes; a small red tint could already be seen flowering in the golden irises. "And it looks like you want to. Blood's boiling and I can see it clearly as fire."

Evan explained half-heartily, "I'm sure I've told you this before but-"

Bruce interrupted, "Yeah, too many times, but go ahead. It's _hot_ to hear you talk."

Feeling disgusted, Evan struggled through the awful feeling to still explain the reason, "I know better for myself. I will never join you, you are horrible creatures, bringing people's souls into the darkness, _guiding_ them into blasphemy! I won't have anything to do with that! It's too horrible. I'd rather die again and again, over and over, forget about my life and my memories than become like you!"

Bruce sighed, "Damn, you're so hot."

"How _dare_ you?"  
Evan drew back a hand to slap Bruce's horrible face, but immediately in a flash, he appeared and grasped Evan's hand tightly, "Listen, you are perhaps one of the most _powerful_ in our kind, but you waste that power _before_ it can even be developed - while it's just struggling to come out, dying for those _mortals_. They will all die one day, everyone of them _will_, fate and time decides it. But why do you even bother to try and prolong something like _that_?"

Evan sighed, Bruce was right. Evan had always known that. Though he and his kind was evil, they were right in in their own way of what they always told Evan about the choices and balances of Heaven and Hell. Still, Evan answered, "Because, _their_ life has more value to me than my own."

Bruce sighed bitterly, but slowly he bent down closer to Evan's face, his lips parting to enter for an open-mouthed kiss. But before he could even get anywhere, a sharp radiance snapped him away.  
"Argh! The Light!"

Evan stood smiling triumphantly, "You and your breed are _not_ the only ones with powers."

Bruce stood up, "Well, I can see you're angry, so I'll be the mature one. But remember, we're always waiting for you. So... just call me and I'll come to get you."

"It won't happen."

"Whatever you say." He turned his back to Evan and from under his leather trench coat, a pair of devil wings that were shining like silk in the full moonlight opened up.  
"One last thing." he said, still not looking at Evan. "The others told me to spread this on to everybody. You count as half, so I thought to tell you this too. A war is coming up.... _soon_."

That struck Evan's curiosity. War meant only one thing to Evan, Death. "When will it be?"

"I don't know, we're still talking about the date. We want this one to be a really _big_ one. One that could end all wars.... a _world war_. Now, the only problem is what will be the quickest and surest way to start it." Evan could hear a small laugh escaping from Bruce, "I wonder how many of _them_ will die _this_ time?"

Evan knew who Bruce meant by the way he accented _'them'_. Evan wondered as well as many would die again in a way, all would willingly die for the lives of mortals, but would their lives alone save enough? Save the right ones? Everyone wanted to live, but if should a war every occur, they would have to sacrifice a few lives, they would have to choose which one was worth saving, which one they could save, which lives were worth more than another's. Such a thing didn't just kill mortals, it tore at Evan's kind, Evan's breed. To watch as someone died, as someone was killed and being forced to stand aside was something horrible and almost unforgivable if you had to save them.  
Evan whispered while gripping at the locket, "Good-bye, Bruce."

"Bye, love." he bidded adieu in a a romantic tone. Then he flew away into the night and disappeared into the shadows of the darkness.

Evan walked back to the shoe cobblers house, yes... Evan would die soon, the question was;  
When would death and the time come?

* * *

**Okay, so that was the second chapter. Just to tell you, the next chapter is still during this time, 1911 in Saxony. Please read and review. Don't forget to check out "Geminis & Aquarius" It's an Abe/OC/ Johann fanfic. There's even a poll for it. **

**Thank you!**

* * *


	2. Torment

**Ngoc Chau does not own Hellboy.**

**Okay, this is part 2 from the second chapter. **

**To verify, it's still in the same time period, but I felt that I had no choice but to seperate it becauase it's almost reaching up to 30 000 words and I thought that would be way to big for a chapter. Around 10 000 is perhaps the best number. **

**So, anyway.... this is still in Baden-Wuerttenberg.**

**I am not homophobic, I very much support Gays and Lesbian Rights! Free Love to everyone!!! **

* * *

**This chapter's song is;**

**_"Dirty Little Secret"  
_by  
All American Rejects**

**http: // www . youtube .com/watch?v=EOoHahF6OGQ**

* * *

**Chapter piece;**

_Now, he was already feeling anxious about how he would survive till the next year when he could come back to this town to see Evan again, if he would still be here... waiting. What did that boy do to him to always have him thinking about such thoughts?  
He often wished that Evan could be a little nightingale. Then he would be able to bring him everywhere, even keep him in his pocket, or what would be more fitting for him, a gilded cage._

_Then again, if he had never met him, then he wouldn't always feel this way. He wouldn't always be in his thoughts when he crept away alone to whip upon his scarred back with fresh oak branches, be the cause of the hardness he felt in his loins every so often when he was asleep.  
But how could he even wish for a thing, to never had met him before? He didn't regret it, he loved it, he cherished their existance and meeting together. But there was one thing he could still agree with that could almost be counted as a strike against him.  
Everything definitely would've been so much easier if Evan was a girl._

_If he was a girl... Karl would do everything he could to woo her.  
He would tell her that he loved her everyday at every breath.  
He would always hold her and caress her.  
He would be honored to have her at his side and to show her off to everybody he knew.  
He would always hold her scarred hand as gently as he could, but as tight to never lose her.  
He would bring her flowers everyday and sing to her whenever she wanted him to._

_Most of all, he would kiss her._

_To press his lips against hers and inhale her breath as he did. Having every last ounce of his breath drain from his lungs as he would tell her over and over again how precious she was to him and he would love her till the very end of the world itself. To touch her like how a boy should touch a girl, freely, lovingly, openly without any fear of exclusion or objection. All the curves and soft parts, whatever he was allowed and had access to, he would explore and register it completely.  
To have her whisper in his ear when they were in each others' arms "I love you with all my heart, Ruprecht." And feel completely amazing, even better than now if that could be possible._

_If only such things could work out so easily._

* * *

_**Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany  
1911**_

* * *

The next morning, after a stern evening of talking to and the decision of his punishment that would consist of him no longer being able to stay out for long and him having to be home by 4 pm and for the first 3 days, having to stay in the house, Karl was still happy that his parents had not forbade him from seeing Evan. Though, now their time was more limited.  
He didn't mind that much, as long as he could see him again.

Up in his room, on the wooden desk, he started to make himself a new music box. The first one had worked out so well, thus he thought to make one that was a bit more of a challenge. The simple melody of Fur Elise was a single tune, it didn't really have much chords, just the melody to carry it. He took a deep breath, what song could he do next to just pass the time?  
He thought of doing Beethoven's Violin Romance.  
He loved how the strangling thin sounds of the instrument could make such perplexing twists and turns that was so appealing to the ear. the song was repetitive and almost basic, but the thought and emotion was there. He decided to make an orchestrating music box of the entire song. The gears and sounds wouldn't be that hard, but the length of it playing would be a tad more difficult.

As he started to form the round shell of his new creation, he looked out the window of his room. There, below on the ground was Evan once more. Good God, that boy was everywhere. He was in a different shop working almost every hour, out in the fields picking flowers and hoeing dirt, and in his head. He sighed as he leaned against the flat surface.  
Evan was wearing working-clothes again and he had a long scythe on his shoulders as he went down the path. Karl stood up from his workspace completely and leaned over the window. He opened it up more so he wouldn't bump his head getting out and getting himself stuck in there. He waved ardently to him. Evan didn't really seem to notice. Karl hurried and went back to his desk, folding a paper airplane in just a few seconds and throwing it out the window.  
The paper contraption floated down on the morning air, going in loops and chasing after Evan until it hit the back of his head.

Karl watched Evan walk down the street, then turn around with a questioning look on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. Finally, he noticed and waved. But right after, he held onto the music box that hung loosely around his neck and pulled it high up as much as he could with it still on. Karl was glad that he still had it on.

Just then, the thought of Evangeline came up. That sonnet, that song... the one she played for him a few years ago. It still sounded so vigorous in his memories. He thought of perhaps making that melody onto his next creation.  
He still kept an intense watch on Evan as he soon turned away and went back to working. He couldn't help but think of such licentious thoughts involving the golden-eyed boy. He tried so desperately hard to push out those thoughts but the musings were becoming more irresistible and tempting. The fact that it was practically forbidden sent a giddy chill in his gut. What would probably make him feel better and worse was if Evan could be the one to punish him for even having such scrutiny...

Oh, he wasn't actually gay, _was_ he?  
The emotions and things that he felt for Evan... they were just because... he looked like _her_, wasn't it? He was getting nervous as he leaned out even more out the window, still watching his prey.

Just then, his father walked into the room with a sudden, "Hey, son! What're you doing up here?"  
Karl snapped his head out of the windowsill, but he accidently bumped that back of his head. He swore quietly under his breath as he looked up at his father and rubbed that back of his scalp. "'Morning, father."

His dad sauntered over to the window behind Karl and asked, "So, who's the pretty bird that you're staring at?"

"Bird?"

His father pointed out at the window, "Y'know. The few out here."  
Coincidentally, outside the window were a whole chorus of robins and blue jays and sparrows. His father started laughing, "But seriously, you _know_ what I mean." His father stuck his head out.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, _come now_. We're both men here and I'm your father." A sudden look of nostalgia suddenly came over his face, "I remember when I was around your age, I got caught staring out the window to the girls across the yard. My father punished me for it with a hide whipping, but I want you to know that I know it's just something _natural_ young boys do at your age."

Karl asked in a sort of monotone voice, "Uh... _why_ are you even telling me this?"  
He was weirded out that his father was telling him of his old past achievements in the subject of women. _Especially_ in this secret moment when he was just... _yeeaahh..._

His father suddenly snapped of his dazed trance, "Oh, a letter came addressed to you and..." he held the envelop decorated with squiggles of hearts and a faint sweet smell up from behind his back and circled it around like a magic trick was supposed to pop from it, ".... and it seems that it's from a _girl_! Who is she, son?"

Karl jumped up and took the letter from his father's hands as his father nimbly lifted up his fingertips.  
His father stood up and said boldly, "I know that love letters at this age are a privacy, so I'll leave you alone to it-" Before his father could've even finished his sentence, Karl opened the door and motioned with his hand for his father to leave.  
The look on his father's face was one of immediate surprise and as he stood up and slowly walked across the room, he was rushed out by his son who rushed to close the door with a sharp click. From the other side his father still spoke, "But I'll leave you alone to read that letter and not butt into your business like your mother might do! I can only hope that you'll tell me about the letter, son!"

Karl didn't answer, carefully opening the envelop and preserving the soft smell of flowers that was scented on the envelop. The faint smell of it reminded him of Evan, how he had met him in the fields and the entire place was surrounded by wild flowers.

"Son! It would be great thanks to your dear father if you would invite her over sometimes for your mother and I to meet her!"

Karl laughed quietly to himself. He had no girlfriend, there was only Evan. His feelings for this boy was much to strong to deny anymore.  
Would... _could_ he really introduce his parents to his friend Evan?  
_What_ would they say?

He opened up the envelop completely and saw that there was no letter at all, just a few pressed flowers inside, hm.. so that was where the flowery smell was coming from. He opened it up so that it looked almost like a diamond shaped box now and then a little clink fell from it. He closed it back up and looked on the hardwood floor at the single circle of silver, casting a long shadow on brown floors.  
He picked it up and looked at it.

It was a ring. The ring was made from a sort of silver, it wasn't the sort that you would use for wedding rings but it wasn't cheap either. It was very thin, but thick enough to be noticable. It was completely plain as well, with neither a single marking or whatnot on it to distinguish it from any type of ring. But only when he took a look on the inner lining of it was he able to see just one thing.  
A single symbol of wings that were neither of feathers or skin. It was a symbol that could be taken from any view, but very benign. He wondered what was the meaning of this symbol. Most of all, he wondered who could've sent this to him. He didn't know any of the girls that well around here.

Still, if he wore it when he went out today, maybe the girl who sent it to him would admit herself out of seclusion. He wore it on his left hand on the middle finger. It was a little loose, but he could still wear it and not have it slip off too easily.

He sighed, he wanted nothing more than to go out and talk to him. It was much better than staying in this house. His uncle and aunt had not bought any new books since their last visit here, there wasn't really anything to do, everyone was gone out of the house for most of the day till 6, yeah... there was really nothing to do around here.  
He went back out to the window, to see if Evan would be around.

He was delighted to see that Evan was still down the street, unfortunately he wasn't particularly happy to see the light of his life talking... to another boy. He felt a seething animosity boil in his stomach. He knew the boy from somewhere around town.  
His name was Alexander and his family was a well-off family. He and Karl were friends who talked and competed now and again, but he still felt a vexation towards him. Although Alexander was only a year older than him, they were neck and neck, well... admittedly, he was the one who was trying to always compete with Karl. Was it really his fault that Alex couldn't simply keep up? Alex had a small package in his hands and held it out to Evan. He couldn't really hear what was being said. Evan was apparently shaking his head, he could only hope that he was rejecting an offer from him.  
But as Alex handed the package to Evan, he took it while nodding his head eagerly. A blush was clearly seen on Evan's face as Karl saw that their hands were touching as they both still held onto the package.

Karl felt irate at seeing this happening. He wished he could've just marched out there onto the street and nab him away from Alex. Something stabbed and jolted at his heart as he watched them both walk away, Alex standing very close to Evan.  
He cursed under his breath upon Alexander, the degenerate who would lead away a willing person, "Bastard."

* * *

After dinner, Karl went back to his work upstairs, finishing up his 4th music box. All of them looked similar, silver with his family crest, only the size and shape differed. Though one of them did have a circled rim around it. He chose classical pieces by Mozart, his parents always loved to listen to him sing Mozart's serenades and compositions.  
He sat down at his table and picked up a half finished one and started to connect the gears to the lid, when he heard a knocking.

The knocking continued serially. Already feeling irritated and bored, he walked to his door and yelled, "There's someone knocking!"

A reply from his older cousin was this, "We're already at the door!"

Karl closed his door softly and went back to work. But after about 3 minutes or so, the door opened to reveal his cousin. His cousin had rust coloured hair that hung over about half of his face. His eyes were an odd shade of brown but had blue at the base of his pupil that spread throughout his iris.  
He was good-looking but his looks were easily rivaled by Karl.

"Hey, you cranky or something?"

Karl didn't even feel that he had to dignify that with a response.

"C'mon cousin, I'm doing you a favour here."

"All you're doing is making lose my focus."

"Then I won't tell you this."

"Okay, then."

"... Do you _know_ someone with the name 'Evan'?"

At the sound of that name, Karl set the music box down and turned around to face his cousin, "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

His cousin snickered, "I knew that it would catch your attention... well, mum and dad and auntie and uncle don't know but... just leave your window open, okay?"

Karl understood what that might've meant, but with his cousin, it was always better not to ask a lot of questions, "Thanks, Robert."

"No problem!"

Karl turned around back to see to his work, but he could still feel his cousin's eyes boring into his back. He knew that he shouldn't even have asked, but it was the only way to get rid of him, "What do you want, now?"

His cousin was smirking deviously. His eyebrow arched up as he pointed a thin finger to the desk, "I just told you about what your friend and I want my payment for telling you."

"Why do you want payment?! He would've just come to the window and I would've let him in!" he stood up yelling!

"Because I want one of those music box things!"

"Fat chance you're getting one!"

"I knew you would say that!" Robert countered as he stood up, towering over Karl.

"Oh, _finally_ you're showing some brains!"  
Suddenly, there came a tapping at the closed window. Karl pointed to the door and said, "I need you out now!"

"Pay me and I'll get out!"

"Nevermore!"

Robert did the unthinkable.  
He advanced to the bed in the corner and sat with his legs crossed on the bed and his arms crossed over his shoulders, "I'm not leaving until you pay me!"

It was now a showdown on who would cave in first. It lasted about 10 minutes of both boys staring each other in the eyes for whoever to blink and crack first. the tapping grew louder and almost seemed to match the quickening rhythm of Karl's heartbeat. He grabbed a finished music box and tossed it out the door.  
The tapping continued.  
"Get it, dummy!"

His cousin darted out and Karl shut the door quick and locked it.  
He swiftly made his way to the window and unlocked it. He opened it up rapidly and exclaimed, "Evan!"

There was Evan, outside his window. He was wearing the same clothes he was during the day, his work clothes and his hat. He was sitting about 2 yards away from the window on a branch close to the trunk of the tree. His white face was red from the cold air at night and his hair was blowing over his face. He was smiling a small smile as his teeth was chattering. He was shivering and shaking all over. The music locket hung around his neck and it swung widely in the blowing wind. The entire thing looked so endearing that Karl's anger from the morning died and faded immediately.

"Evan, get in here right now! You'll die of exposure!" he urged.  
Evan hesitantly reached out a hand towards Karl, but he was impatient. He swiftly grabbed for his hand and pulled him through the window. As though he was flying in air, he came in through the window and landed right on Karl.  
Again, both of them fell back onto the floor in a _close _position. He nestled Evan onto his body and felt the shaking feeling coming from him. The thick fabric of his work clothes were cold as clay and he himself felt frigid.  
He nuzzled into Karl's shirt and squeezed back tighter.  
Karl could feel his body heat leaving him and entering Evan.

"Oh....oh... you're so cold! Were you outside too long?"

He stuttered as he still hid his face in his shirt, "Not that long."'

"I'm sorry for not opening the window right away, my stupid cousin wouldn't leave the room."

Evan climbed up higher on Karl's body, hiding his face but coming closer, "It's alright. He could've stayed."

"I didn't want him to, though."  
Evan twittered in Karl's arms again. "Oh, you're _still_ so cold! Do you want me to get you a sweater or-"

Evan interrupted, "No, I'm just fine like this."  
_'Very nice.'_ Karl added in as he thought back to some of his musings from before.

"Ruprecht?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to hold me so tight, you know."

"I know, but body warmth is the best thing since my parents can't know that you're here right now and you're too proud to accept even a sweater from me. It's okay, really. This is the sort of things friends do for each other, keep each other warm when the other was outside in the cold night."  
No, friends didn't hold each other like that. Friends would've gotten another friend, especially if it was a boy, a hot drink or a blanket. He didn't want to admit or even think about it. He was in love with Evan. But did Evan feel the same way as well?  
Sure, he came in through the window to see him and he was often very close to him, but did it mean something more than a platonic relationship?  
The empathy was so strong, nonetheless it felt so right just to keep holding him. It was just 2 days ago when he had come to save Evan from the bullies and introduced himself, but it felt like they had met each other so long ago and a bond was already there. He definitely couldn't be gay... it was only a phase, however...

While there were so many things that Karl wanted to say to him, he chose to remain quiet. He bet that if he started talking, the mood would be ruined or his cousin would just barge in or even eavesdrop and mock him after. Besides, he always felt tongue-tied around him.  
The silence was definitely preferably.  
The warmth of both their bodies melting together in harmony, first cold then warm, when the glow left, the cold came back only to be washed away. Though all their time together, especially walking back to town for 2 hours, was joyful, it was times like this that would be remembered for years to come, all the feelings of it, all the touches, all the words, all the silence. Yes.... it would be a memory worth holding onto no matter what.

He breathed again deeply and whispered in his ear, "How do you feel right now?"

"Much warmer, thank you."

Another sigh came from his parted lips, "Why did you come to my window?"

Evan looked up and asked in such an innocent tone, "You don't want me here?"

"No... I mean... I want you here, but why through my window?"  
Even though he knew the answer, he still wanted to hear it said from his lips. He wanted to hear how much he wanted to see him, how much he wanted to be with him, everything.

"I wanted to see you."  
Bingo.

"The window?"

"I tried coming over to see you, but... this boy.."

"Alexander Eisig."

"Yes, I suppose that was his name... well, he wanted me to come over to his house to meet his parents and his sister."  
He was right. Silence was _way_ better now.

"Why?"

"He wanted his family to meet the person who would save him the embarrassment and irritation of walking home in wet clothes."

"Wet clothes feel awful."

Evan giggled a small laugh, "Yes, I suppose so, that you would be a prime expert in that. Right after I dropped off a letter to you, your father told me that you wouldn't be able to come out to play for a while, and then he caught up to me and we started talking."

Karl's attention was now turned towards the letter than Alex, "A letter?"

Evan's pale hand reached up for one of Karl's hands. He intertwined his fingers with his and smiled, "Oh, you're wearing it right now."

Karl looked to his left hand and asked in an odd tone, "You were the one who sent this to me?"

Evan nodded, a blush was growing on his face, "I wanted to give you something back. Right after you gave me this locket, I wanted to repay you the favor."  
He sat up and pouted a bit, "Ruprecht... I want you to know, that no matter what, you are my dearest friend."

The word _'friend' _wounded his heart. He didn't exactly know why it should. They were friends, good friends. That was the best, it wasn't like he was expecting intimacy out of this, right? He sat up as well, but he kept his distance, "Yeah, no matter what, we'll always be friends. Friends till the end of it all, till death do us part."

"That's good." Evan sighed back with a giggled and laid his head back on Karl's chest, his fingers taughtened it's retention, "Do you like it?"

Without thinking, like he needed to think at all, "Of course."

"I'm glad." Evan stood up suddenly and asked, "How long have I been here now?"

Karl pulled out his pocket watch, "I think you've only been here for half an hour. It's only 8:45."

Evan's hand jumped to his mouth and he strode to the window. "I'm sorry, but I have to go right now. My parents don't know that I'm out here now. And if I come home late, they might keep me in as well."

Karl didn't know how to respond to that, but he only asked, "Will you come back again?"

Evan sat on the ledge of the window and asked, "How long are you punished for?"

"3 days."

Evan smiled, "Okay, I'll come around this hour or so, perhaps earlier if I can, for the next few days until your comeuppance has been lifted." He stepped out and leapt to the trunk of the branch and hugged it hard to keep his balance.

Karl kept watch from the window and stuck his head out bit, "Do you promise?"

"I do. Next time, we'll do more than just nothing." He looked to the ground and crouched in a hunched position. His feet slid off the branch. Evan's white and violet hands clawed at the branch and he was hanging off of it as his legs dangled. His feet were a good 5 feet from the ground. Karl kept a close eye in case something could've happened. But he saw that Evan was swinging like a monkey on a bar and then he let go.  
Karl's mouth opened in a wide _O_. But it was more to what he was saying then shock.

He let go, but how he descended to the ground was something to behold. The expression looked so natural, one that was so at peace. His eyes were half closed in a laze and his white limbs were bent back, gracing the tail of his over sized work jacket. His hair kept it's shape so well, it looked more like he was floating down instead of falling. His visage was more girl in that moment than a boy's, no longer was he Evan who was the cobbler's son, but Evangeline who was the angel who 'saved' him in the river.  
He fell to the earth and landed on his knees. A lenient thud was heard, then he got up and ran out of view. His running heels were muffled by the sound of dirt on gravel.

Karl turned back into the room when a knocking came at the door. It was his father, "Son, we're going to play a game that Robert just learned, come down and join us."

"Coming!" he answered as he went back to his table to clean up a bit before going down and just spending some time with his family. While he picked up all the pieces and tools, he looked upon his left hand, the silver ring glistening in the light.

He smiled happily then made his way downstairs.

* * *

Evan kept his promise as he said. The next morning when Karl was watching out his window, Evan had been there to see him at first light. When the light ceased and darkness showered itself over the skies, he would come at the dusk to visit. During the rest of his punishment, Evan came through the window at night, always bringing with him a few games that they could try and play and even a strange pet like a chipmunk, or sometimes to just chat and converse. On rare occasions, he would even(forgive my numerous uses of the word 'even', I couldn't think of any other way) sing to show off his talent.

Even when the sentence was lifted, Karl was kept busy by his family's trips all over the regions, his games with his friends, and a few performances at his parents' friends' parties while he visited their sons and daughters. Still, the only time he was happy was when the moon was shining out in the blank darkened skies and Evan would come tapping at his window for entrance.  
To Karl's dejection, they weren't as close as they were when they first met, close as in a physical tone than an emotive tone.  
They rarely hugged or held each other anymore. The farthest perhaps would've been a touch on the shoulder or a pat on the back. He started to miss the delicate moments when the fates seemed to be playing with them and his temptation and they would be tossed together by that.

Now, everything seemed so normal, almost like he was with his other friends. But the one thing that kept him happy in those quiet stages were Evan's blushes whenever they met each other eye-to-eye or when their hands would brush against each other at the same trice.

Today, they were reading a french poetry book together, nonetheless some were in English as well. Though Karl could read french easily -English was a little more tricky- his accent was almost embrassing, so he let Evan read for most of the stories. He loved to hear the velvety accent roll off his tongue as he spoke and how calm everything suddenly seemed to be.  
Right after they would read and listen, both would discuss the ideas of the composition and translate it to each other.

The 2 of them sat on the floor in his room as the sunlight poured in rays from the open windows and curtains. It was probably a good 7 am already, he came in through the window at 5. Evan had thought to come a bit early for today to spend in some early reading, since Karl told him the evening before that his family was taking him out for 2 whole days.  
They sat back to back, feeling their own heartbeats beat against each other in time from the cages of their ribs. Karl was tired, but the motivation to see him again kept him awake better than coffee as a pacifier.  
Evan wore his work clothes and the leathery feel of it froze his back through his own flimsy sleepwear.

Karl slumped a bit as he listened to him read a short poem by Victor Hugo, called "The Grave And The Rose". Even with his fluid voice, the English poem still sounded so harsh with it's "Th" and "St" and whatnot.  
He leaned against him even more as he read out loud to him in an articulated voice.

_"_**_The Grave said to the Rose,  
"What of the dews of dawn,  
Love's flower, what end is theirs?"  
"And what of spirits flown,  
The souls whereon doth close  
The tomb's mouth unawares?"  
The Rose said to the Grave._**

_**The Rose said, "In the shade  
From the dawn's tears is made  
A perfume faint and strange,  
Amber and honey sweet."  
"And all the spirits fleet  
Do suffer a sky-change,  
More strangely than the dew,  
To God's own angels new,"  
The Grave said to the Rose**."_

Evan sighed as he closed the book, "What do you think that means, Ruprecht?"

Karl rolled his eyes to the back of his head, he thought what would be the best answer for such a question, "I guess it would be that the Rose and the Grave are asking each other what happens to the dead and the Rose is saying that they simply die in the grave, while the Grave says that they change into angels for God."

There was no replay from Evan.

"Evan? Did you get it?"

There was a small shuffle and when he spoke, an odd feeling was in his voice. it wounded of one that was contemplating and inquest, "I'm not really sure... so... when you die, you become God's angels..."

Karl cleared his throat a bit, "Well, that's what the poem says."

"Ruprecht?"

"Yeah.."

"Who are you? The Rose or the Grave?"

"You mean, what I think is the best argument?"

"Yes."

Karl pondered, "I'm supposed to believe that when you die and if you were good in life, you would go to heaven and become an angel. But there's really no proof of that."

Evan turned around, the book was still in his hands, "I'm asking what you believe, Ruprecht."

Karl scratched the back of his head, "I guess it would be the Grave's response. The thought that there's an afterlife, of something else beyond that can't really be explained has fascinated me from time to time."

The next sentence that came out of Evan's mouth was not expected, "What if I told you that when you die, you come back as an angel on earth only to die again?"

"What?"

Both of them turned to face each other completely. He scanned his face, No, this was something that Evan was not joking about, he was serious. He wondered how they could suddenly talk about a poem first and next to the idea of heaven and hell and death. The chills traveled into his bones and through his spine. The feeling was warning him that he would definitely not like where this conversation was leading to.  
"Evan, what are you trying to say?" He hope that Evan wasn't hinting what he thought he was. This was like deja vu, would he have to watch another precious person die because of him again?

"_Do_ you believe in angels?" Evan asked with the most severe tonality.

"Sure, of course I do. Doesn't everybody else-"

Evan interrupted him, "I meant, _do you believe in real angels_? Ones who walk out on the street everyday alongside mortals, _who die for real_?"

Karl stuttered, tyring to think on how to add to what Evan was saying. This was getting too much. He didn't understand what was going on now. "I- I..."

"Yes or no, answer!"

"Yes!" Karl was getting freaked out. He had never seen Evan in such a frenzy, especially over the subject of death.

"....What.... What would you think of someone dying _for_ someone else?"

Karl jumped up and grabbed Evan by his shoulders. That did it, if Evan was saying what he thought he was saying, it was final. Karl never felt such a boiling edge in his blood. His brows furrowed in disapproval, "Evan, you're not going to kill yourself, are you?"

Evan said nothing, he held a stiff upper lip and looked down to the ground. The clatter of a hard-cover book and flipping pages echoed as the book dropped from his hands.

He shook Evan hard and demanded, "Evan, are you?"  
He could feel him trembling under his grip. Heck, he was shaking like a jittery critter. As he tried to wrangle out of Karl's grip, he tightened his hold and ordered in a loud whisper, "Evan, look at me! Answer me! Are you?"

He dipped his head and saw that he was on the verge of crying. His golden eyes were red and wet, tearing up already. His face was turning a bright red as well, most likely from the choking gasps that he was holding back through seethed teeth.  
Karl pulled him into his bosom and scolded, "You stupid fool! Don't tell me that you're thinking of doing something horrible like that!" He sat back on the ground, cross-legged, with him in his lap. He rocked his small form back and forth, shushing and rubbing his back. Evan started to let his tears run even more like waterfalls. His face was shining with the salty water. Karl sighed and briefed, "If anything ever gets you, I'll be there for you."

"Really?" he asked through tears.

"Really, I swear." he breathed in his scent. That scent of green fields and wildflowers. That smell was intoxicating, his now current favorite. Strange how the smell was of fresh fields and wildflowers, but the real thing never smelled so wholesome.

He stuttered while still crying, "Ruprecht, would you always be my friend?"

Karl felt like hitting him, for being so stupid for even thinking of suicide and talking about death like that. "Of course I will be, dummy.... you stupid dummy."

"No matter what happens?"

"Yes, I swear! I thought I told you that!"  
After a few more minutes of crying, Evan finally settled down and so did Karl's temper. He separated his body from his and reassured him, "We'll always be friends. Just... never talk about a deal like that in front of me again. If you die, I'll have to die, too."

Evan shed one last tear, "Please, don't say that you'll die. I promise never to talk of this. Don't say that you'll die." he sighed and asked, "When are you leaving?"

Karl was a bit surprised on how quickly the questions changed and how different they were, "Why do you ask?"

Evan's mouth trembled as he smiled. it was like he was trying his best to smile, "I'll answer if you answer."

The air was suddenly lighter, like all the troubles had circled away down the drain. He smiled back, happy to get off the subject of death completely. "I didn't know that you wanted to get rid of me so quickly, but... I'm going back to Munich in less than a week.. about 3 days tops."

"That soon?" Evan asked in that everyday innocent tone of his.  
Yes, everything was suddenly so much easier now, it was definitely more preferable.

"Don't worry. We'll still be able to stay in touch and I'm coming back next year in the spring. We can see each other again, then.."

Evan answered with a sort downcast look in his amber eyes, "I don't think think it's possible, to keep in touch or to ever see each other again after you leave."

"Why is that?"

Evan sat a bit farther from Karl, bringing his knees into his chest, "Because when you're gone, I'll be gone too."

"What do you mean by that?"  
God, what happened just a few minutes ago when they were talking about this deal? No dying, no suicide!

Instead of what Karl was expecting, he replied, "I can't be here for much longer."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

Karl tilted his head a bit, trying to look into his eyes and see that he was lying. Evan wasn't leaving, he would stay here and wait the following year for him to come back in the spring. Their annual meeting would start and hopefully continue. No, it was all true. Evan would be leaving off to God-knows-where and they would never see each other again.  
This morning started out great, but was now sucking more and more. "You're telling the truth, aren't you?"

Evan smiled as he stood up, "You always could tell whether or not I'm lying."

Karl stood up as well and followed Evan to the window, "I guess I know you a lot better than you think."

While Evan opened up the window and leaned against it's ledge, his short hair suddenly blew up when the morning wind fluttered in.  
"Ruprecht."  
he asked breathlessly as the air surrounded him and tossed his clothes about, wrinkling him.  
Karl stepped closer, so exceptionally close to Evan that he could feel his body heat barely reach him through Evan's work clothes and smell his signature scent of wildflowers from working in the fields and towns all day. The tableau was inspiring to him, like a fairy tale scene. He could swear that Evan was made from the thing magic was, that he was enticing and coercing him to fall prey and sin to what he should never ever do as he learned in church.  
"Ruprecht." he repeated, "Have a nice trip."

Then, an unforeseen knocking came at his room door, he turned around to the deep voice of his cousin, "Karl, are you up?"

He yelled back, "Quiet, I'm up, dork!"

A heavy knocking came from the other side, "Hey, you call me 'dork' ever again, I'll tell your parents that you have your boyfriend up here, gaylord!"

"He's not my boyfriend!"

There was a small silence, "Is he really there, Karl? Geez, I was only taking a guess... but-"

"He's not here!" Karl retorted back as he turned around to see... that Evan was not in the room anymore. The curtains still blew freely and whereas he put his head out the window to see where Evan was now, he was nowhere around.  
'_God, he's quick!' _he thought to himself as he scoured throughout the streets and everywhere.

With a quick and heaved sigh, he walked to the door, opened it up to see his cousin, leaning against the opposite wall, opening and closing the music box and whistling amidst the tune. "Aren't you supposed to introduce us, Karl?" He walked into the room, his head sticking out like a turtle and a dummy crossed, "Where is he?"

Karl marched out of the room with his bare heels touching the wooden floor and punched his cousin in the arm as he went out the door towards the bathroom down the hall, "Jackass, you didn't even brush yet. Your breath smells."

While he walked towards the bathroom, he could hear his cousin breathing and huffing onto his hand and smelling it after. He turned around to see his small morning victory. But his upper hand quickly turned to repulsion.  
His cousin, Robert, lifted up his arm, took a sniff of his own armpit and his face puckered like he had eaten a sour slice of lemon. He opened his eyes up and looked at Karl, who was gaping his mouth in shock.  
Robert laughed and briefed, "For your information, the smell isn't my breath, it's what 3 days of no bathing will do to someone!"

Karl's hand jumped up to his mouth and he ran to the bathroom, looking like he was going to throw up any minute.

* * *

Karl stared out of the car window, the country roads and scenery passing by his blue eyes. His uncle and aunt who were driving the car waved to the farmers who were also their close friends. He breathed heavily against his starchy hazel green sleeves as his face was buried in it.  
The 2 days were fun and all, but they were the most nerve-wracking to him.

What if he came back one day to see people dressed in black completely, telling him that the cobblers' son had just died a day ago?  
Or just as he would be walking up the steps to his uncle's house, he would see a crowd surrounding a dead body.  
Maybe he would never hear from evan and when he asked, they would all tell him that Evan went missing the day he left.  
Too many questions about the talk they had on the day he left surrounded him and ate at him. Strange enough, Evan wasn't anywhere to be seen as they were driving throughout the town.

A certain nagging hindered him greatly.

As soon as they rolled up in front of the house, his uncle turned around and said in his cheery voice, "Okay, Robert, Karl. Help get the bags out of the car and we'll be right back."

Robert jumped out first, a red lollipop in his mouth with the white baton sticking out so clearly. He grabbed 2 luggage suitcases under his arm and challenged, "C'mon, Karl. Stop being such a cream puff!"  
Karl's parents got out next, holding so firmly a bag in one hand. Karl left last, with a backpack on his back and a duffle bag in his hand. His uncle turned to his aunt in the car and asked, "Sweetie, do you want to come with me or go in now?"

His aunt leaned in closer to him, "I'll go with you, honey."

Robert did a gagging sound with his mouth and finger, "God, get a room or go already!"  
His mother laughed and she waved bye as the car drove away.

Karl's parents tossed their hands towards the house and said, "Let's go in and have some lunch. I'm sure all of us are very tired from the car ride."

Karl nodded. Yes, he was very tired. The sleepless nights of worrying, the constant pondering if he would come back to see Evan's smiling face and rosy blushes, yes... he was very tired and he had a large craving for some pasta just about now.  
When he walked up the stone steps and set the bag down, he closed the door, not even caring whether if and when Robert was going to step in as well. His father had already sat down on the chair, leaning his head back and closing his eyes like he was going to go to sleep soon. His mother was already in the kitchen, preparing to cook lunch for the 6 of them. The only sounds besides his father's tired breathing were the clatter of pots and pans in the echoed room of the kitchen.

While he walked past his father to go upstairs and lie down a bit, rest for some time, his father called, "Karl?"

"Yes, father?"

"Could you get me my bag?"

"Your bag?"

"Thank you." his father said in advance.  
Karl hated when his father did that trick. It made him feel guilty if he never did it. How he would already assume in the goodness of someone and expect it so easily should've gotten him stuck in a lot of trouble, but amazingly, it helped him greatly and financially with his job at the bank, get a loving sife, raise a good son, make a lot of new friends, and have a lot of connections to big names.  
Such was the thing called karma.

Karl walked to the bottom of the stairs where he had left the bags he brought it. Nope, his father's bag wasn't there. He asked his mother, "Mother, did you bring in father's bag?"

His mother answered in a sing-songy voice, "No, I think Robert was holding onto it!"

He didn't want to go outside and have to talk with his grimy cousin, "Father, where did you put your bag?"

"I brought your mother's bag in.... I think Robert was holding my bag.."

Sigh... it seemed that he had no choice and he would have to go outside or something to see his cousin. Damn, just as he was getting used to the peace and quiet, it would all be disturbed bu his no good cousin. He walked to the stairs, just in case his cousin could've walked in when he wasn't noticing and brought the bags upstairs.  
"Robert, are you upstairs?!"

There was no answer.

Great, he was outside! And, again, he was getting so used to the peace and quiet and the warmth of the house inside. He stomped to the door and opened it, readying himself mentally and physically should they have to argue or even brawl.  
He swung the door open and stepped out into the pale sunlight and breezy winds, "Robert, bring the bags in..." he stopped so subtly.

His cousin was out there of course, but it was who Robert was talking to that stopped him in mid-speech.

Evan.

Evan.... was talking..... to Robert.... and not him..... and he had... a blush on his face.... but he wasn't talking to him....

Evan turned around and a grin broke out on his perfect pale face.  
Karl could feel his heart skip a beat.

He... looked a lot better than he remembered. His skin looked even whiter if that was possible with a healthier glow, but it probably had more to do with his clothes. His usual work clothes were baggy and usually a barf-looking colour with grass stains or something. But what he was wearing now looked really good.  
He wore a white shirt that hugged closer to his small frame and had a sort of lace-up just a few inches below the open V-necked collar. With that, he also wore white slacks that were complimented with a black apron that started at his waist and stopped at his knees. The pants and sleeves were rolled up to his shins and elbows. He even got better looking shoes that were a different white colour from the usual pair of black.  
Besides wardrobe, his hair also grew longer. Before it was cropped just below his ears, but now it reached down to his shoulders and was tied back into a simple pony tail with a white blank ribbon. Strange, he never really noticed how long Evan's hair had been. But of course, he always wore a hat, even in the evening.  
Hey, where was his hat? Why wasn't he wearing it?

Before Karl could even say anything, Evan had already ran towards him. "Ruprecht! You're back! I missed you so much!"  
His arms went around Karl as though he was about to cage him in an embrace, but his hands wavered slightly and instead of a hug, he gripped his hands on Karl's arms.  
As much as Karl wanted to, Karl withheld himself, not wanting Robert to see him attempt to hug him. Though he wished that still Evan could've hugged him. However, as he looked at Robert, his face was a mix of arrogance and anger. Karl wondered why he was glaring at him with such a ferocity like that.  
Evan's blush grew even redder and warmer, secretly Karl had a huge ego that he was able to make Evan blush so like that in no time. "I missed you, too. Nice outfit."

Evan let go of Karl and twirled around on his heels a bit, "It's better than what I wore, isn't it? I was able to get a new uniform yesterday!"

He nodded, "So... were you waiting for me all day?"  
He heard Robert cough a hoarse "_Egotist_." But he ignored it, focusing all his attention of Evan.

With a giggle as he always did, he replied, "I... I heard you were going to be back soon, so I..." he pointed to the package that was wrapped with a bright white cloth Robert's hands. "I made some pastries and there was a lot extra, so I thought... you would like to try some of it."

Karl tilted his body a bit, almost like a bow, "Thank you, I'm sure it's very good. Especially since it was made by you."

He blushed even harder and pointed to the direction of the road, "I have to go now... I'll see you some other time, Ruprecht...?"

Karl asked, "You're working now?"

He nodded.

"Well, let me walk you there."

"I don't think you should, it's in the next town over."

"....Then, I'll walk you to the bridge."

"Okay."

Karl walked past his cousin, who was slack-jawed even more so for some reason.  
'_What is his problem?'_ Karl wondered. Then he remembered, "Oh, Robert."

"What is it, Karl?" Robert hissed.

"Dad wants his bag. Do you think you could bring it to him for me and tell him I'll be back in a few minutes?"

Robert looked like he was going to explode. He was chewing on his lips and his face had turned a light purplish colour. Still, he could only wonder why his cousin was acting so strangely. It was all so odd. Maybe he caught some weird bug. He knew that Robert would probably make a tantrum and they wouldn't be able to walk with each other, so before he could allow Robert a chance to answer, he had already coerced Evan to leave his cousin in a seething mess of temper and self-humiliation.

As they walked down the street, Evan mentioned, "You really didn't have to walk me to work, you know. You could've stayed at home with your lovely cousin."

"Lovely?"

He nodded his head, his face was full of innocence that should've been outgrown of years ago.

"I don't see what's so '_lovely_' about my cousin."

"He's very polite and charming."

"I've _never_ heard those words to describe him before."  
'_Especially by a boy_' Karl thought to himself. God... the light he was in now. The length of his hair, his darling eyes, his pink puckered lips, his rosy cheeks on pure white skin. How could a boy look so beautiful?  
His breath was getting shorter, his palms were getting sweatier, god, why was he so nervous now?  
This walk wasn't any different from any of the times they had been together. If anything, it was more distance than the hours they stayed in his room just talking or sitting in silence, enjoying each others' company.

Why?  
Why couldn't Evan be a girl?  
This would be so much simpler! Yes, he was in love with him, but what would happen? Love between a man and another man was taboo, forbidden! But his heart and his emotions were too overpowering. How could he deny a hunger like that? He would go crazy if he tried.  
There was no one else, compared to Evan.  
No one more charitable like him who was willing to give away clothing so easily to the less fortunate.  
No one more innocent.  
No one more hard-working and determined.  
No one more intelligent and modest at the same time.  
No one more beautiful.  
No one more... perfect!

Now, he was already feeling anxious about how he would survive till the next year when he could come back to this town to see Evan again, if he would still be here... waiting. What did that boy do to him to always have him thinking about such thoughts?  
He often wished that Evan could be a little nightingale. Then he would be able to bring him everywhere, even keep him in his pocket, or what would be more fitting for him, a gilded cage.

Then again, if he had never met him, then he wouldn't always feel this way. He wouldn't always be in his thoughts when he crept away alone to whip upon his scarred back with fresh oak branches, be the cause of the hardness he felt in his loins every so often when he was asleep.  
But how could he even wish for a thing, to never had met him before? He didn't regret it, he loved it, he cherished their existance and meeting together. But there was one thing he could still agree with that could almost be counted as a strike against him.  
Everything definitely would've been so much easier if Evan was a girl.

If he was a girl... Karl would do everything he could to woo her.  
He would tell her that he loved her everyday at every breath.  
He would always hold her and caress her.  
He would be honored to have her at his side and to show her off to everybody he knew.  
He would always hold her scarred hand as gently as he could, but as tight to never lose her.  
He would bring her flowers everyday and sing to her whenever she wanted him to.

Most of all, he would kiss her.

To press his lips against hers and inhale her breath as he did. Having every last ounce of his breath drain from his lungs as he would tell her over and over again how precious she was to him and he would love her till the very end of the world itself. To touch her like how a boy should touch a girl, freely, lovingly, openly without any fear of exclusion or objection. All the curves and soft parts, whatever he was allowed and had access to, he would explore and register it completely.  
To have her whisper in his ear when they were in each others' arms "_I love you with all my heart, Ruprecht."_ And feel completely amazing, even better than now if that could be possible.

If only such things could work out so easily.

He sighed as they almost finished their quiet walk together. "Evan, when did you start working out of town?"

Evan's eyes rolled into the back of his head and there was a pondering look upon his face, "I guess it would have been a few days ago, I just started working full time the morning you left."

"You were already working that much?"

He nodded his head and continued his steady pace of brisk walking.  
Karl almost felt that he wanted to just get away from him.

"Why do you work so much?"

Evan slowed down his steps and looked straight at him, their eyes meeting and the expected blush grew.

Karl had always wondered why Evan worked so much. He had seen other kids work as well, hell, even he worked too. But he had never seen someone, a child, work as much as him. It was so strange, aside from their time together, he had never seen Evan doing something else besides working. It was always work, work, work, no play at all.  
Was he saving up for something?  
Was his trip to leave this town the reason for all his hard work?  
Was it for some sort of debt?  
What could it be so, that he was always working for it?  
He had always questioned this reason of full time daily labour.

Evan answered clearly, "It's for my parents."

"Your parents?"

"Yes, they always take such good care of me. I just want to repay them back..."

"Oh... So, have you decided where you're going?"  
He still remembered so clearly. Those words when Evan had told him that after he left, they would never see each other again. He owuld be going somewhere else, anywhere but this town apperently, he had to leave this place.

"No.."

"Why do you have to leave?"

"You probably wouldn't understand."

"How so?"

"You just... can't."

"Huh... you know, the longer you don't tell me, the more I'll be more curious and I'll hound you for the answers."

Evan giggled, "That's just fine, Ruprecht. I love your attention to me."  
_'And I love you._' Karl added in mentally. They came to the middle of the bridge.  
He hated coming onto the bridges now, especially wooden ones. It was the 2nd time he met up with Evan on this very bridge, did he fall off into the storming waters and nearly dorwn to death. Now, he always either wanted to stay off the bridge or just run across it to get away from it just quick.  
Evan pointed to the crowd of woods, "I can go on myself from here. Thank you for walking me out here, Ruprecht."

"You're welcome."

The silence was more overwhelming now, than it usually was when they were together. Karl was just wondering if he should give a hug to say good-bye or something at least. Just saying goodbye to each other like this, felt awkward, like he was missing something.  
His fingers were twitching as he wiped and squeezed them on his pants. God, he was sweating so much. Just in less than 2 days, he would have to leave and he would never see him again.

Why... why... did he have to leave, why did they have to separate?

Both stood facing each other, waiting for who to make the next move and what it would be. It turned out Evan would be the bold one. He turned around and walked off into the woods.  
Karl sighed dejectedly and walked the opposite direction back to the town. He was sort of expecting his welcome-back home to be a bit more .... how could he say it... a little bit more passionate bewteen him and Evan. But alas, friendship was the only perfect thing that could come with the both of them, even with his unrequited side of affections.

Suddenly, a voice called out to him, "Wait, Ruprecht!"

He turned around in quick response to his toned voice, "Yeah?"

Evan had the most shyest look on his face. His face was tilted down and his eyes were half closed and his hands were fidgeting with his black apron. A blush was obviously growing on hnis face and he then looked up with those bright amber eyes, "Ruprecht?"

"What is it?"

Evan took a step forward, "If you're not doing anything with your family tomorrow..."

Karl took a step towards him onto the bridge, anxiety growing in his gut.

"Do you want to go on a hiking trip with me? I know this great spot in the woods and..."

Karl certainly didn't hesitate on thinking, he answered as soon as Evan just paused for more thinking, "I'd love to!"

His face suddenly went in a questioning way, "Oh, really?" then the corners of his mouth rose up into a bright smile, "That's great! I'll see you then." he walked away from him, his footstep clacking onto the wooden bridge.

Karl shuddered as the chilll of his slight fear of wooden bridges told him to just get off and run back home, but his secret and obsessive habit to always watch Evan at every single moment even, when Evan would just doze off from complete exhaustion in their late nights together and he would grudgingly have to wake him up.  
His black and white figure tangled with the rich brown trees and slowly disappeared completely from view. Though the scene was something similar out of midsummer night's dream of a graceful fairy running away into the forest, Karl stifled back a small laugh, Evan looked more like a little white rabbit.

* * *

As Evan walked throughout the trees, making sure Ruprecht was definitely out of the line of sight and nothing could be seen happening this deep in the woods. Breathing deeply while looking up at the blue skies, Evan never felt so much at peace but the nagging of what was to come beat at Evan's gut.

Just then, from the knots of trees and leaves and hills, a wolf of the most unnatural colour of rich auburn and a white underbelly sprung out of nowhere, landing so softly on the grass with nary a sound right at Evan's feet.  
Evan narrowed those amber eyes and hissed, "Bruce, following me now? In broad _daylight_?"

The wolf looked up with his red eyes and smiled... a toothy grin of canines and fangs. He gave a hearty bark and nudged with his head in a direction.

Evan scowled, "Stop it. This is getting tiring. I've had enough."  
Bruce tilted his wolf head and whined. It held no effect on Evan, knowing his true identity and nature, "Don't even try to act cute. It's not going to work on someone like me. Besides, it's because of _you_ I'm leaving."  
Evan walked ahead, not even caring to be kind, as Evan normally was, to the wolf called Bruce.

"_Society Members_!" Bruce called out.

Evan turned around; Society members? Couldn't be! How could they have come here! Were these new members? But as Evan looked, there was no one in sight.  
"Are you lying?" Evan asked seriously.

Bruce replied in a woof, "_Maybe, maybe not!"_

Evan narrowed those eyes and warned, "You idiot! You never know whether Society members or not really can be here! What if they are around here? We'll be in danger!"

_"It's a voice on the winds, but I heard that there really are Society members here... in _this_ town."_

"What are you going to do?" Evan asked worriedly. It was a dumb question, but still needed verification. There was only one fate for Society members. Evan's kind would be used as bait, while Bruce's kind would be the ones to bring the punishment of swift death to them.

_"Simple, we're going to kill them like before."_

"I'm going to have to save them, you know.. if they're even here, I'm still held to save them rather than let you kill them.."

"_Well, we don't need to exactly kill them, as you know, but we have to get them out of here again or get rid of ourselves. And... your end for that has been called for a few times now..."_

Evan knew what Bruce meant, Evan had to die to throw the Society off track. "...I need it done in 2 days."

_"2 days? Isn't that a bit long? Why not now?"_

"..."

He growled, "_I know... it's_ that Mortal,_ isn't it?"_  
Evan walked back to the trail, not going to look at Bruce and his questions anymore. Evan walked a few yards down before Bruce howled, "_Get back here_!"

Evan wouldn't turn around, no... turning around was definitely not an option.

But a hand suddenly grabbed Evan's shoulder. "_Look at me!"_ he ordered as he turned Evan around to face him.

Evan curved around to see a half clothed Bruce. Sweat was all over his body, his hair was even more messed up, giving him an intentioned dangerous look. His tanned body was covered in bruises and healing cuts, but it did not downplay upon his looks. Evan was blushing a little then.  
Bruce saw the blush clearly and changed his stern demeanor to a devilish tone, "_Like_ what you see?"

Evan whipped away and made back to the trail to the next town.

Bruce still made attempts to go after Evan, "Love, what _was_ that when you asked out some human for a hike?"

"None of your business."

"If you wanted to go on a hike, we can go on one now."

"Get lost, Bruce."

In a flash of twisting colours and air, Bruce appeared right in front of Evan, trapping the hard worker like a snake. Evan couldn't believe how stupid that was for just walking straight into Bruce's open and welcoming arms.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm not the one doing anything, release me!" Evan yelled while trying to squirm out of Bruce's tight embrace.  
The feeling was so different from Ruprecht's arms. Ruprecht was so soft and warm, so gentle and comforting. There were only good feelings, security and innocence radiating from him and he was always so careful and cautious around Evan. He was also so protective and caring.  
But with Bruce... Evan could just envision the soaked blood on his tan hands. The very idea of knowing that those were the very things that had stolen away people's lives, for only mere pleasure and enjoyment, disgusted Evan to the very core, giving vile shivers. It was also the look in his eyes whenever he looked at Evan, those eyes that were always so hungry with lust, always scanning Evan from head to toe so savagely. The touches that just reflected his true wolf like behavior of thirst for fulfilling sexual desire. Chasity was the one thing that was so dear to Evan, but to Bruce, it was more so an irritable thing that got in the way of his kind for everything. He didn't care for Evan, no... he certainly didn't care.  
He was the exact opposite of Ruprecht...

"You have no idea, do you? Always so naive with your kind. I can teach you that there's more to life than just dying for mortals. I can show you ecstasy and-"

Evan yelled once more, "Let me go!"

"You think of yourself as so high and virtuous, but... You're a demon yourself, your kind kills as well. But besides that, you do just as bad as my breed, doing these things to mortals, luring them in with your body and charms, having them do your bidding, then you die. You destroy them in the most horrible way, worst then my kind does, you know."

Evan couldn't take it anymore. What was so strange about this time was that it wasn't only lust in Bruce's eyes, but a new feeling, a new look. However, Bruce still frightened and sickened Evan. Bruce spoke again, a new softer feeling in the sharp tongue of his voice,  
"Listen, I don't chase you because I'm assigned to, I actually like you...."

"Shut up! Leave me alone."

Bruce's claws dug into Evan's body, causing a new pain. "This is torture, losing you to a mortal, watching you die for mortals all the time when you could live a life and be all-powerful... you could see what life is. What life means, you could have fun for once!"

Evan was finally able to snap away, Evan glared at him, "Bruce, I am sure I have heard those words before, but for now, I don't care. I don't want to see you. Just leave me alone!"

Evan ran out into the hinterlands, but Bruce's angry voice still lingered over;

_"I'm going to get that stupid mortal."_

* * *

As Karl walked back home, a hand pulled out his sleeve. It was Augusta, Alexander's twin sister. She was just like her brother, with his brown eyes and heart-shaped face. She wore a white dress that covered up her front immensely, but went a bit lower than average at her back. Her brown hair was long to her shoulder blades and had a ribbon holding her bangs back. She was tall for a girl, reaching up to his eyes that he could barely see over her head. Even as a girl, she looked just like her brother, but the one difference was that she was more spirited and impulsive than her brother.  
She smiled a bright smile at him, "Karl, I haven't seen you in such a long time!"

Karl forced a laugh out, "Really, I just saw you a week ago when my family went over to your house."

She pouted, "But that was for our parents. And you played only with my brother and not with me at all!"  
She really was a nice girl, but she was like an alarm clock. There was a sort of limit where when you would spend time with her, she seemed so wholesome, but after that... she would just get plain annoying.

Karl asked her, just wanting to know what was up and to have a faster chance to get away, "I know you're not the type of person to talk to somebody for no reason. What do you want?"

She pouted even more, her face looking like it would break and explode soon from the crimson glow in her cheeks and the quivering and cracks on her face as she smiled a 360 degree smile while still trying to hold onto a pout, "Karl, are you just trying to get away from me or something? You look so uneasy!"

"Not at all." he lied.

She smiled. She was always so easy to lie to. She pulled out from the little purse dangling on a spaghetti string at her shoulder, a letter.  
The letter was decorated pink with the strong heavy scent of expensive perfume that repelled the noses of men more than attracted them. The aroma was over-powering and it made him almost want to gag and chop off his tongue and nose to rid himself completely of the stench. The envelope also had so many frills on it, looking more like doily as he look over at it in her gloved hands.

She giggled at him, "It's an invitation to Alexander's and my birthday party this Friday. I do hope you'll have a good time with us!"  
She still held it out to him, smiling that fixed smile on her now-nearly blue face. He got unsettling shakes all over him. He knew that girls like him.. a lot. But she was the one who always went over-board with their affections.  
Other girls would giggle at his all the time and flirt with him like saying he looked handsome, giving him chocolates, even using innuendos to hint sometimes. But... she was the sort that would always write her name with his name in bubble hearts and write her own name with his family name.  
He could still remember all the time he had to go over to Alexander's house, they would both talk about random nonsense, but Alex had crossed the line by sneaking into his sister's room and pulling out her journal which had written documents of the most love-sickened things.

"Uhhh.... I'm sorry, but I don't think I can go."

"Why?" her smile had now turned upside down and it looked like she was on the verge of crying.

"Well... I'm leaving on Friday, right in the morning."

"You are?"

"Yeah."

Her eyes were getting all red and puffy already, she grabbed his hands and forced the invitation in to them, closing it shut and squeezing his hand brutally. "Just show your parents, okay? They'll probably let you come for the party, then you can leave right away as soon as it's over."

He snapped his hand back to his side, crumpling the invitation, he lied to just get away from her, "Okay, I'll try and convince them to let me go."  
He turned around quickly on his heel to just run away home now.

But she ran after him in her stilettos and grabbed his arm while pinching him. "That was rather fast, Karl."

"I should be getting home to.. to spend some time with my _'lovely'_ cousin."

Her eyebrow hunched up, "You mean Robert?"

"Yes."

"But, you know, it's customary for a boy to walk a girl home in case some strangers may abduct her. It's just to keep her safe."

Karl thought mentally, _'Oh yes. They'll probably kidnap you to see how crazy you are and then return you, wanting to pay your own parents a ransom to take you back.'_  
"I know, but I have to get home right now."

It seemed that she wasn't going to give up. "Then, I should walk you home, Karl!"

"You don't have to-"

She interrupted him, "I know, but I want to." she added in a wink. Oh, there was that chill going down his back again. Ugh, horrifying.

The walk back to his relatives home was quick, mostly consisting of him walking away and often times running away as fast as he could while Augusta tried to keep up with him. She had even asked him if they could go on a date tomorrow if he was leaving on Friday. He lied again to her that he was going to be busy practicing for a concert back in Munich.  
When they arrived at the white fence of his relatives house, Robert was there, in fron to the house. His arms were crossed and his face still had that angry look.

Karl ran through the gate, "Bye."

She waved to him and shrilled in that high pitch voice of hers, "Bye Karl!" Worst, she also blew him a kiss.

As Karl walked up the steps to the door, his cousin followed him into the house, complaining, "Wow, Karl. You left with one girl and came back home with a different one. What a lady killer."

"What is your problem?"

Robert caught Karl in a headlock and gave him a noogie, burning his scalp, "God, Karl. You could basically have any girl you want in this town or anywhere, but the one perfect girl who's flirting with me, you come and ruin the moment!"

"What girl?"

"What do you mean 'what girl'? That girl with the black hair and the white clothes!"

Karl bit his his hand, Robert instantly let go. "You moron! That was my friend!"

"Your cute friend that likes me!" he retorted back in a snobby tone.

"_No_, that was my friend, Evan!"

The look on Robert's face was suddenly blank, "Wait, what?"

Karl started laughing as he fixed up his hair a bit, "That was my friend, Evan. Evan is..."

"You mean that was?.."

"Get it, Evan is a _boy! Not a girl_!!"

"Oh My God!!!"

Karl laughed, "What, you _finally_ figured out that you're gay?"

"No, it can't be! I can't be gay! Noooooo!!!"

Karl left his cousin at the base of the stairs as he went up to his room to hide the invite. There was no way he was going to show his parents that and risk going to the party.

* * *

**So that was the 2nd part of the 2nd chapter. There is about one more part left for the 2nd chapter, until the third official chapter. In the next chapter, there will be more fluff and romantic stuff. A lot of soft sweet things, touching, kissing, and explanations about Evan.**

**So, read the next chapter and leave a review, okay?**

* * *


	3. Man Against Man

**Ngoc Chau does not own Hellboy.**

**This is the date, it has a big shock to it, so don't skip it and please review it at the end. Please don't forget to check out my other fanfic "Geminis & Aquarius". **

**So, again, this is taking place in Baden-Wuerttenberg, same time period. And Kroenen's hair is short! I had my sister read this and she asked, "What does he look like?" So in case some of you are wondering, he has short hair that reaches about to this ears, shorter perhaps. It's cut short at the back of his head, though he does have some bangs and side burns. I'll probably draw a picture to show you what I mean, but until then.**

**Please enjoy this and just a little spoiler for you;**

**The next part after this segment takes place in Paris, the city of love, when Kroenen is 25. He's in the prime of his youth, in Paris where he encounters love and... I'm not going to spoil anymore. But I'm sure the next chapter will the most fun to read, it's going to be a little bit more adult than the previous parts, if you catch my drift. **

**So, just enjoy this chapter and don't skip it because it explains everything!!!**

* * *

**This chapter's song is;**

**_"Just So You Know"_  
by  
Jesse McCartney**

**http: // www . youtube .com/watch?v=fSrpEKBVBfw**

* * *

**Chapter Piece;**

_His entire view of the world was filled by Evan's dim amber ones. He left his arms at his side, staying completely still to Evan's actions.  
The kiss was warm, their lips molded against each other so perfectly, like they were made for each other. His lips really were soft, softer than any other girl's he ever had, more than Evangeline's red ones. They weren't even using tongue and it already felt so incredible. He wondered would the sensations of it all change if Evan was a girl, if it was a girl's delicate alluring form pressing up against him, grabbing him with sharp nails.  
He inhaled easy and slow, wildflowers filling the air he breathed. His nerves were erratic, tingling and going crazy._

_Everything was so rapid, but at the same time, calm and peaceful._

_He could feel Evan's body pulling away only to move back against him. It felt so wrong, but so right, could such mutual understandings that were so opposite from another co-exist so perfectly? He felt electric. His nerves jerking all around, getting warmer and sending blood to his cheeks. Everything was shocking to him and tingling within him.  
His fingers were aching to just dig into Evan, run through his long hair. But he pinched them into the rough bark behind him. His loins were tightening, feeling stiff and like it would burst any second. It was getting so intense, to a hard climax that he could swear his member was close to turning inside out. His stomach was twisting into knots. His heart was racing faster than when he encountered the wolf and when he was running with Evan for their dear lives._

* * *

_**Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany  
1911**_

* * *

For that day, he didn't bother combing his rusty hair, but he still took some water to brush it out of his forehead's way and eye sight. As usual, he wore his slacks, a dark denim that was recently a new rage and a white shirt that was stained with yellow substances that he oculdn't remember where it came from. He rolled up the buttoned cuffs and loose sleeves till it reached to his his elbows, showing a farmer's tan of white hands, but ecru arms. He stood straight and tall in his room, as he thought abou the pretty boy that he met yesterday. He groaned as he cursed the name quietly, "Stupid Karl."

Robert was pissed off. He felt humiliated. Not only was Karl allowed to go hiking without any parents, he was going with the same he-she that he had almost fallen for.  
_Why?_ He would've at least been happier if Karl had just kept his mouth shut and not tell him that it was actually a boy. How come he just couldn't be quiet and let him be happy and dumb? Most of all, how could someone so beautiful and smart and pretty and cute and endearing be a boy?  
It wasn't fair, all girls should've been like that, but instead the girls were shrill and crazy and picky.

He suddenly stopped in mid thought, there was something off. He lived in this town for his whole life, but he had never seen someone like that around at all. No, that day, it was the first time he had met him, Evan.  
Even that evening when he came to see Karl, a large hat had covered up his face so he couldn't really tell. But when he saw him that day when they came back from their trip, he knew he had never seen anyone like him.  
Strange, where did he come from? It was like he appeared out of thin air. Maybe they went to different schools, but that was impossible, there was only 1 school in their district and it was about a mile away from their house.  
Also... why hadn't he really seen him in town either? A boy like that should stick out like a sore thumb in a group of plain people.  
Why was it that he saw him for the first time, his whole face and all his looks, yesterday? The whole thing didn't make any sense at all.

"Robert!!! Hurry up, we're leaving now!!!"

"Coming Pop!"  
He left his room with his deck of cards, but not before passing by Karl's. Strange, he had the sudden urge to just go in there and look around. He zoomed right in and went straight to the drawer. On the drawers were a few more lockets. Despite him already having one, he still had the urge to take another one, perhaps 2 more. Besides, Karl could always make another one, he was good with his hands and a lot of the girls loved it; they were always asking for more.

Just as he picked one up, he noticed that there was an envelope underneath the lockets. He slipped it out. It was a pink girly envelope.... another love note for Karl perhaps?  
He opened it up with care and pulled out the letter.  
Typical, there was a sheet of paper with hearts and flowers and the cheap fragrance of perfume on it that got OD'd. It was a birthday invite to Karl and him... well, mostly Karl, but he could always tag along.  
It was from... _Augusta Eisig_...

Robert snickered under his breath. She was that crazy girl in his class. He remembered how much she had a crush on Karl, always asking him to give him little gifts and flowers for her, even following him home once to find out where Karl was staying for the month. He especially relished in his memories of giving Karl the gifts and seeing the look of horror and shock on his face, also seeing her right there on the doorstep with bunches of flowers and a crazy insane smile on her face.  
But here she was, giving him a birthday invite and he had hidden it away. Well, there was only _one_ thing to do now.

"Robert!!! Hurry up!"

"Coming, Pop!" Yeah, there was only one thing left to do now... Give it to Auntie and Uncle. That'll show Karl for embarrassing him.

"Robert!!!"

"Coming, Pop!"  
He stormed out of the guest room, the invite and lockets in his pocket. As he got to the base of the stairs, his father was waiting with crossed arms and a stern face.

"What took so long, Robert?"

He held out the invite which his father eyed curiously, "Oh, just stuff, Pop. But have you seen Uncle and Auntie? I think they might want to see this."

Oh.. was Karl in for the surprise of his life.  
Let's hope he'll have the time and energy to make another one of those lockets for Apey Augusta...

* * *

Karl had left his parents, telling them that he was going hiking with a very good friend for the day and he would try to be back around the evening. They warned him to be back soon and to make sure that he didn't forget anything when they were going to leave tomorrow. He promised he would get back before 8, but unbeknowgst to them, he had his fingers crossed behind his back.  
For the hike, he diecided to wear old slacks that wouldn't upset his mother if they got torn or dirty. But he did wear one of his nicest shirts, he had to look suitable after all. At first, in the morning he had thought of combing his hair, but decided not to. He was already wearing a very nice shirt that looked way too clean to be hiking and if he were to comb his blonde hair, what would Evan think?

When he met up with Evan, he was a little surprised in what Evan wore. Aside from the backpack that he had on his back, he was wearing an ensemble of white sleeves and pants, his shoes white as well, but a slip of grey was what covered him up the most, looking like a cross between an over-sized sweater and a way too short dress. He had his hair tied up in the same white ribbon but his large hat covered up about half his face. The outfit looked so different, not at all normal to what everybody else wore. But he could deny that he looked just gorgeous in it.

They discussed where they were planning to go, traveling throughout the hinterlands, then to the beaches, and finally around the bases of the mountains and back home after.  
It sounded simple, but most of all fun.

As they walked in the bush of the hinterlands, the bush of dry trees that had greenery on the very tip and tops of them that resembled something like clouds, Karl had this uneasy feeling that he was being watched. Sure, there had to be animals around here, but the feeling was something that would be protruding out of a stalker. It was so chilling, like something would just pounce on them any moment. He couldn't even recall such a feeling before, it felt so irritating. No matter what he thought of, the feeling coulldn't be shooken off. His hands dug deep into his pockets, pinching a bit of his skin as well. Evan apparently noticed his nervousness,  
"Ruprecht, are you okay?"

Karl looked up in response to the question, even though he hated being called 'Ruprecht', he still responded to Evan calling him that than anyone else, "Yeah... just fine.."

Evan sighed, pushing the hat higher above his face, but having it slip down again. His hair was at the corners of his lips, looking like it was being swallowed. He brushed it out of the way as he spoke, "Are you sure, you look so uneasy. If you want, we can cut the date short and just go home."

Karl faltered a bit, this was a date? He thought of it being like that since it was just the 2 of them... and.... there was some sort of intimacy between them, he imagined. But he never thought Evan would say it back as well. He shook his head, his short hair swaying to and fro with the action,  
"Seriously, it's nothing. Just... do you have the feeling that you're being watched?"

Evan's face froze up a bit, like something was mentioned that shouldn't have been. The look on his face was now forced, like he had eaten something nasty and repulsive and was only smiling now for the moment's sake. He wondered if he had just asked the wrong thing. Was Evan offended or something now? Or was there really something that he was worried about. His face cleared back to it's regular cheerful self, but the look of fear and disgust still remained, "That's how you're feeling? Well, we should probably get out of here now."

Karl shook his head vigorously. No, he didn't want to end it so soon. If spending time with Evan, all by themselves away from the points of civilization, girls and Robert, an eerie feeling could be easily put up with, "No, it's just fine. We should just finish up with our hike."

Evan looked worried for some reason, "Okay, if you insist."

* * *

The walk in the hinterlands was enjoyable, especially since Evan had planned it so well, bringing an assortment of trail mixes and oats to lure animals to feed from their own hands. The feeling of a swallow landing directly in his palm tickled his white skin, the little talons on it's feet scratched, but the pain was something he didn't mind.

The animal life and plant life was all so interesting to Kroenen, who preferred to study the medicine and machinery more than nature and botany. The knowledge Evan had of plants and herbs that could be used as both poison and cures astounded him. Who knew that such a plant was just inhabiting in these small cracks of moss and grass?  
"Are you studying botany, Evan?" he inquired as Evan picked a sprig of a mint like plant.

Evan shook his head without looking back as they were now trekking up a hill, using the long rubbery vines as ropes to climb up. Evan was the first one to make it up to the hill. He held onto the twiny branch of a nearby tree and reached his hand low for Karl to grab.  
He grabbed it tight and pulled himself up. "Evan?"

Evan seethed a bit through his teeth as he pulled him up, "Yeah, Ruprecht?"

"How is it that you know so much?"

"So much about what?"

"Everything, basically."  
They prepared again to climb up trees like monkeys to get to the hill settings at the peak of the trees. Evan struggled to climb up a tree, while Karl was the one this time who was the most swiftest in swinging himself up onto the branch and stepping up onto it like a flight of stairs. Karl leaned down and caught onto Evan's hand.  
"Jump." he commanded.

He bent down slightly, to get some momentum to his feet but not to cause Karl to fall down as well. As soon as his feet came off the forest floor, Karl pulled him up next to him on the branch. "So, how is it that a cobbler's son who works non-stop all day have the vast knowledge of science, biology, chemistry, botany, languages, and nearly every academic subject that I know of?"

Evan shrugged his shoulders slightly as he reached up for a branch, "I... it's... I'm gifted!"

Karl swung himself up higher than Evan on the next few branches.  
He looked down at Evan. He looked back up at Karl. His golden eyes were wide, like he had the biggest shock of his life. No, more like he was a caged animal who was trying out numerous escape techniques to get away. It was also that small shine in his eye, so small and dim it was almost unnoticeable. _Almost._ "Evan, you're lying to me again."

Evan sighed outloud and climbed up a few more steps, catching up to Karl. "How is it you can always tell that about me? Lying or even sugar-coating is impossible with you."

"I guess I know you a lot better than you think." he replied back as he smiled a heart-melting smile.

They were now standing shoulder to shoulder. Their hands were so close to each other, just one nudge and they would be both touching. Karl couldn't help but wonder, should he just move his hand over a little bit.  
It had definitely been so long since they touched skin.

Evan immediately saw where Karl's gaze was and his face started blushing furiously. He looked away so demurely that Karl again couldn't help but blush at the girlish action.  
"You're blushing." Karl pointed out with some amount of male pride in his tone.  
Evan pulled away his hand quickly, having it go so far as behind his shoulder. But the result was that he lost his balance and looked like he was about to fall onto his back from a full 15 feet in the air. Luckily, he caught Evan's hand, gripping it tightly and hastily put it back on the previous branch, with his own hand on top of Evan's. He clasped and intwined his fingers with Evan. He looked down at Karl's hand with a surprised look and an ever blushing face of crimson. He shrugged his shoulder, as though he was answering a question Evan thought up in his head.  
"Don't want you to fall."

Evan nodded promptly as he stared straight into Karl's eyes, his golden stare wavering a bit as he desperately looked into his blue eyes. "Thanks a lot."

Turned out that Karl got his little wish after all.

* * *

They walked alongside the beach. Strangely, the awkwardness wasn't as thick as Karl had anticipated.

Yes, it was a very perplexing situation, but not as bad as Karl had predicted.  
Walks together along the golden sand on the beach along the cool clear blue water were usually saved for intimate relationships, not really for 2 young boys. Back in Munich, he had walked with and charmed many a girl on the sands of time and summer, but it had never been more to him than a way to pass the time. Hence it was always them stuttering along the way, fidgeting with their fingertips and looking at him only to turn away as he would look back at them. But with Evan... God, he was starting to know what those girls must've felt at the time.

Evan had his hat pulled over his face lower, his hand going to his temple rubbing. He looked up nervously to Karl, the trick of light and shadow played on his face; from under the shadow of the brim of the starchy hat, he was sure that he saw a glint of red from Evan eyes. He stated outloud, "I love nature, but when the sun hits the water, the light irritates my eyes."  
Yeah, the red was just a trick of the light... that's all, nothing strange or suspicious.  
Karl was secretly glad that he kept his hat on, if he took it off and he saw how beautiful he looked with the shimmering waters behind him.... Just picturing it, he was tempted to run to him and hold him close and kiss him. God, he hadn't felt this intensiveness in his gut for weeks, and now of all days it was starting again!!!

Their hands were free.  
Evan had his hands flowing and winging freely by his sides. God, was he just begging him to grab that hand and clasp it shut? His hands were getting sweatier by the second as he was conteplating if he should make a move. Just one little move. He was leaving tomorrow morning anyway, he said that they would never meet each other again after this. What better way to make this day memorable?  
It wasn't like he was going to be asking him if he was gay, if he felt the same or close to what he was feeling now. It was all mostly innocent, and there was nothing wrong with experimenting what intrigued you anyway.

Karl suddenly saw him looking straight at him. This time, it wasn't Evan who was blushing ridiculously, it was him. He looked down immediately and put his hands in his pocket, squeezing the linen fabric inside.  
Evan smiled up a bit, "Hey, do you want to go in the water?"

Karl was taken aback, he wanted to swim? "What?"

Evan set down his bag on the sands and took off his shoes, rolling up his pants to his knees as well. He stepped out onto the water. Okay, Karl was almost sure of one thing. He was trying to seduce him.  
Karl took off his shoes as well and rolled up his pants. He walked out to the water, where Evan was already knee deep. The water felt cold. Chilling, having all the hair on his body raise up to the unexpected shock. He shivered a bit as he could feel the fine sands mold between his toes and shift everywhere. The slimy weeds in the water brushed against his leg and startled him. Karl was still a bit uneasy in water, especially since he nearly drowned in it.  
He looked up in the distance and saw that Evan had rolled his pants up higher and held onto his slip as he went farther out into the water. He wanted so much to follow, but the urge to stay close to the shore tugged at him. He was at the decision to call out for Evan and ask if he could stay close to the shore or go after him himself.

But the decision was apparently made for him when he heard a low throaty growl. He turned around to see a sort of reddish brown wolf with white beneath look at him so intently. Karl stood still, rubbing his eyes and pinching himself to see if this was a figment of his imagination or something. It wasn't, there was actually a real wolf there!  
The wolf reered up and growled once more, taking slow menacing steps towards the water, towards him.

Karl screamed, "Evan!!!"  
He ran towards Evan who had the oddest look on his face. Water splashed up violently as Karl crashed into Evan, having them both fall into the water and ending up completely soaked head to toe. He was too freaked out to even relish in the closeness of their bodies physically touching or the fact that Evan's hand clawed into him to try and stay up and it felt simply amazing to have that sing of pain on him.

"Ruprecht! What's gotten into you?"

Karl pointed back to the beach, "There's a wolf!"

"What?"

They helped each other up, squeezing the edges of their clothes dry. Evan was about to step towards the beach when Karl tugged on his arm, "No, don't! We don't have anything to defend ourselves with and a wolf would kill us faster than anybody."

Evan sighed, but the odd look mixed with worry and exasperation was still on his face, "Ruprecht, there's nothing out there."

"What?"

Evan pointed at the beach, "There's nothing there."

Karl strided in the water, hurrying to put on his shoes and his hands balled into fists. "I saw one right here." he pointed right at the spot next to him where there were no tracks at all surprisingly. "and it stared right at me and it looked like it was about to pounce!"  
He looked back down at the spot were he was pointing, _'There should be tracks. Where are the paw prints?' _

Evan looked around, "Ruprecht. It's still not too late to hurry back into town. Perhaps we should go back home. We can end it for today."

Karl wanted to get out of here. If a wolf was to attack them, he was sure who would be taken first; Evan. He couldn't risk it and he couldn't have his parents find out that their son was eaten by a wolf. But, he didn't want to end their outing so quickly, they would never see each other again... but Evan's safety and well being was an issue. "Okay, we should head back."

Just as they were getting on their shoes and picking up their bags, Evan wandered off a bit onto the beach. He called after him, afraid that from out of nowhere the wolf would attack, "Evan, what are you doing?"

He paid no heed to him, instead, he balled up his fists and blared so loud that Karl thought he wasn't even possible of producing such an intense sound like that,  
**"Go away!!! Just stay away from us!!!"**  
Then he stood up, composing his posture and himself and smiled sweetly, "Okay, let's get out of here quick."

* * *

So the walk back home was still fine. They were still soaking wet, but... the walk was nice. And they decided to take a more public path... well, Karl decided to take a more public path in case the wolf showed up again. He couldn't explain it. When he saw that wolf and their eyes met, the feeling of being watched rose up in him again. He figured that on their hike in the hinterlands, it was that blasted wofl But the question came at him; why would some wolf be stalking him like that? They should've been attacked since the beginning. But it seemed that the wolf was watching the entire time, following.

Evan looked back at him and asked, "Ruprecht?"

"Yeah." he was glad that he started speaking. The silence, though pleasant, was getting too much.

"The wolf, what did he look like?"

Karl took some time to recollect. He didn't really pay any close details on the wolf, he was thinking more of if the wolf had caugt him in it's jaws, what would happen to Evan? Would he have been able to escape safely while Karl was getting eaten? Would he have been hurt?  
"It was brown."

"Brown?"

"Yeah, but more of a reddish brown and... it..." He remembered the one detail that made the wolf look even more menacing. "It had... red eyes-" He was close to saying the line, '_.. red eyes just like yours..'_, though he ended before it could leave his mouth. Evan was normal, he was the typical average boy.. that had as many tricks as Harry Houdini, nonetheless still normal. The red eyes thing was just nothing. He had golden amber eyes, not red. Okay, he made a mental note to himself to just stop right there with the eye thing.  
He finished, ".. but I'm sure it must've been a trick of the light reflecting off of it..."

Evan muttered something, _"It was him."_

Karl pretended to be ignorant of what he said, "What?"

He went back smiling as he always did, "Oh nothing. Nothing at all."

The walk was quiet and much more eerie, the feeling of being watched was more intense. Instead of feeling like he was being watched, it felt more like he was being stalked, the predater breathing down right his neck.  
"Evan?"

"Yeah?"

Karl ran ahead of Evan a bit, walking backwards now to still keep an eye on Evan, "Explain."

"Explain what?"

He narrowed his eyes, "Explain everything. There's a few things that I don't get."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"For starters, how do you know so much? It's just not logical; someone who works at every single moment of the day couldn't possibly be able to know the things you do."

Evan asked in mocked anger, "Are you calling me dumb?"

"No, of course not. But... it's something else that's bothered me. I don't know a single thing about you."

"What's my favorite colour?"Evan asked.

"Indigo, right?"

He smiled and concluded, "See, Ruprecht? You do know some things about me!"

Karl could easily admit that he was clever, cute in most ways, but that was just cheating with what he did. "Nice, but anything else, anything deeper, I don't know anything, nothing about you."

Evan tilted his head and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"For example, your parents."

"What_ about_ my parents?"

"They... They're _old_." he said hesitantly, afraid that what he would say would offend Evan.

Apparently it did. "So what if my parents are old! your parents are no spring chickens either!"

"No, it's not that... it's..." he ran his thin hands through his platinum hair and sighed a heavy breath.  
He bet he must've looked so stressed. But of course, he was stressed! He had a lot of happy thing to be about with Evan, but at the same time he was totally unsatisfied! Evan was an enigma. Everything there was to him was without logic. Like how could an old married couple that were well in their 80s be childless last year but suddenly have a 14 year old boy the following year? It was strange. From this strange boy, he had been directed, tossed into the way of the occult and mysteries. Ghosts, demons, fairies, legends, commen folk tales but they all seemed to be the only way of explaining the mystery that was Evan Volsky.

The theory of the paranormal had been dormant within him, a pondering thought, from a few years ago, but just recently it became close to truth for him. The stories, the legends, the myths, it all became a way to explain Evan, to come up with answers.  
"It's just not plausible. Everything that you do... there's no vindication. Like that day on the bridge when I first met you, I fell into the water and nearly drowned but you saved me. You were dry as a bone while I was soaking wet, how could you have been dry when you yourself told me that you had been swimming with me until an hour before I woke up? And how could you know so much, even more than the professors at school? You know more than a person who could've lived for a century! The way that you can disappear and reappear and move without a trace? There's no way! Everything is so confusing, I can't stand it! I try and try to find answers, I know I can find answers to everything, but... with you... there are none, it's like you're something that someone made up. Someone that isn't real, that couldn't be real. Then I start to wonder if this really is real, if you're real, if all that's happened between us is real. Maybe I died that day on the bridge in the water, maybe years ago and this is all some dream I'm having while rotting in the ground. Maybe I'm insane."  
He took another breath, recollecting his thoughts while he was at it, "_What are you, Evan? Who are you? Why can you do the things you do? How do you know the things you know?_ Those are what I want to know."

Evan's face drooped a bit, his golden eyes were half-closed. His face was calm with a sort of tortured look to it.  
It hurt Karl, he was sorry for saying it, but he just had to know. He was tired of feeling so stupid. Often when he tried to think of all the things he knew about him, his mind was barren. How could someone he spent all his time with be so unknown to him?  
_'Please don't look at me like that, Evan. Please don't look so sad like that. Please don't have your golden eyes be in my own eyes. I don't want to see something so sad like that, please don't look so sad. Please.'_ he thought to himself as he kept his eyes on Evan.

He turned directly to Karl, staring him straight in his eyes. His gaze whipped at him so much. Evan breathed out, his voice sounding so different with a type of fatigue and caution,  
"Isn't it enough to just meet each other and enjoy it? Rather than to know every intimate detail like a person's blueprints? Is that how you want to think of me, an object that could be taken apart and concluded? To know everything that makes me, analyzing me like an insect under a microscope? It's already great to know you, even look at you and say "hi", but isn't it sufficient enough for _you_?" Evan's face suddenly looked sour. Like he had done something and now wasn't sure of whether to fix it or to just leave it.

Karl didn't want that look directed at him, that look made him taste guilt like garbage. "Don't put it that way. You're someone very important to me. You're my best friend. It's just.... I cna't stand it! I keep thinking about all these questions and I try to find answers but _I can't_. It feels like my mind is going to break, like I'm getting smaller. _I don't know_ and I think _because_ I don't know, it might hurt you someday."  
It was true. The talk between the both of them the other day had changed his view on Evan entirely. There were things that he didn't know about Evan. What if because he didn't know, he couldn't prevent any danger coming to him? The last thing he would want would be to have sometone he cared about gone because of his own ignorance. He was pouring out his heart and soul to him, talking to him in a way that he would never talk to anybody else.  
He pleaded mentally, _'Please just tell me. I'm in pain. I hurt all the time because I'm so worried about you. You tell me things without answers, all the time in riddles and phrases that confuses me. Please tell me the answers! I want to know. I need to know. Please let me help you!'_

Evan's eyes were downcast, the shadow of his hat shaded his face into an obscure shadow and then he looked up, "Shoot."

"What?"

Evan said seriously, "You heard me; shoot. Ask whatever you want and I'll answer."

"Anything?" Karl verified.

"Anything within reason."

Damn it, that set some questions back a bit.  
"Your burns? What really happened?"

"I thought I told you, I was born with them."

The first time they met, Evan had told him about that, and it was the truth. But Karl couldn't believe it still. "I still can't believe it."

Evan shrugged his shoulders, "You can ask more or just end it there."

Damn, Evan certainly had the advantage. "Okay, um... what really happened when you saved me?"

"Saved you?"

"On the bridge when I fell in the water."

Evan looked diffident. In such a surprise, he ran ahead, sprinted to be exact. Karl wasn't expecting that and he chased after Evan. They must've ran about half mile. As he tried to speed up, Evan always seemed to be the one gaining speed. When he was starting to slow down from the exhaustion of repeatedly casing while carrying a heavy bag on an uphill mountain, Evan would still be maintaining speed.  
"Evan!"

No answer as he still ran ahead.

"Evan, please stop running!"

He stopped right in his tracks and turned around to face Karl, "I only stopped because you asked so nicely." He turned back to where he was looking before and pointed straight into the horizon, "Look, we're about an hour's walk away from town now."

Karl laughed a bit, leaning forward with his hands gripping his knees. He had done it again. He avoided his question by running. He was always running and avoiding. But why couldn't he have avoided it with more questions as he always did? It woudn't have been so tiring.  
He panted out, thinking to himself '_I will not kill Evan. I will not kill Evan. I will not kill Evan...'_

"You know, we can take the longer way home. This is the last time we'll see each other again."

Karl stood up, still gasping in a little bit more breath, "Permission for one last question."

Evan giggled, "Permission granted."

"How can you run so fast? That was insane!"

Evan smiled as he gave Karl a pat on the back and nudged him to start walking, "I have wings."  
He didn't think whether that could be true or it was just a way to humourhim. He was completely out of breath and he just wanted to spend the rest of his time with Evan, just by his side in silence.

They started walking back to the town, taking a scenic route. As Karl walked forward, side by side with Evan, their hands brushing together vaguely, he couldn't really think about that. Sure, he loved the fact that they were sharing contact again, but... that uneasy feeling of not knowing anything about Evan, him being so reclusive, and the paranoia of being stalked clouded him.  
The chill went down his back again, but this time, he heard a voice with so much malice whisper in his ear evilly, _"You're mine, human."_

Karl turned around on his heel to look behind to the voice, ready to scream and strike at whoever might've said that, but there was nobody. His tensed up limbs relaxed a bit, when from out of nowhere, a wolf came at him!  
Though it happened so quickly, everything seemed to be in slow motion for him. The wolf, seething at the mouth, bared it's fangs at him. It's claws were protruding out. It's eyes were an actual red and radiated bane and anger. When it was coming at him, something suddenly knocked it back, something white and bright. He didn't know what it was or what had just happened in that instant, Evan, who had jumped on him and pulled him a few feet away blocked his view.

The wolf skidded on the road but regained itself and reared up, prepared to charge once more. Evan scrambled to his feet, pulling Karl up along with him.

"Ruprecht." he trembled.  
The wolf gave a harsh bark and continued growling.  
"Ruprecht, I want you to get out of here as fast as you can...."

Karl didn't even nod his head, he ran off immediately.

* * *

The wolf barked, _"Ha! He's your friend? He didn't even try to protect you!"_ With jealousy in his voice, he added in a low voice, _"I would have given my life to fight for you."_

Evan gulped back, "Are you going to kill me?"

Bruce scoffed through a bark, _"If it looks that way, probably going to happen."_

Evan sighed, "How many times have you killed me before?"

Bruce actually whined before answering, _"First time. It's either you or the human. Sorry, but I'm starving!"_

Feeling almost rejected that Ruprecht had ran off almost too quickly and scared, scared for that Evan would soon die without telling the Volskys that Evan loved them both so dearly, Even answered bravely, "There's a first time for everything, I guess... So, Bruce. Just kill me right now. Kill me, leave Ruprecht alone!"

Bruce sneered, _"The guy's a stupid chicken and you would still want to die for him?"_

Evan sighed with a tear already rolling, raising both arms up, "To every one of us, even a single Human life is worth more than a thousand Empyrean lives. To me, his life has more value than my own."

Bruce was still fierce, but it was obvious that either Evan would die or Ruprecht would, one of them had to. He snarled, _"Sorry about this, no hard feelings okay? The boss will definitely be pissed off with me for losing you again, even more for killing you. But if I'm lucky, you'll like me better next time than you do now."_

Evan laughed a bit, at the joy for dying for the person Evan loved and that Bruce actually thought that Evan would forget about him and possibly even like him in the next life, "Never going to happen, Bruce. Life and death will never change how much I detest you."

There was a chuckle in Bruce's throat, _"Here's to always hoping. But at least I made you laugh before I killed you."_

Evan took a deep breath and closed those golden eyes.  
Bruce reared up and leapt, claws forward, jaws open and teeth ready to shred through flesh.

* * *

Karl jumped right in front of Evan, swinging a hard branch of oak and managing to knock the wolf back away from him. He muttered outloud, "Thank God I came in time, I thought I might've been too late."

As the wolf rolled away a few yards, Karl took this chance to look up at Evan who had his fists balled up and was wiping away tears.  
He stood up, his guard still on high alert, and touched away Evan's tears. "Come on." he coaxed with such a gentle voice that was so different from the serious vicious person he was a few seconds ago, "Evan, don't cry on me, buddy. You know I'm a sucker for tears."  
_'Especially on you.'_

Evan stuttered outloud, "You came back."

Karl stood up stiff with the oak branch in his hands like a baseball bat, "Of course I came back. I swore to you that I would always protect you."

The wolf got back up on it's feet, shaking it's head and growling at him. Karl huffed as he raised the bat higher over his head, "Evan..."

"Yeah?" he responded through crying tears.

"You're faster than me, so you got the better chance of out-running him."

"What are you saying?"

What was he saying? Wasn't it obvious where this was leading up to. Karl gulped back a huge wad of spit, already planning out his strategy. He hits wolf till it dead or unconscious at least. Then he runs like hell, screaming. Yeah, the plan sounded good so far... "Evan, it's cute and all, but this is not the time for it. I want you to run as fast as the wind out of here. I don't even want you to look back until you're back in town."

"What about you?" Evan asked still crying.

"Me? Simple, I'm going to do what I can to make sure you're safe first."

He screamed out loud, the wolf appeared to step back a few steps at the shriek of his voice, "I'm not going to leave you!!! _You run_, I won't let you die for me."

Karl argued back, "_I'm_ not going to let _you_ die for_ me_! Stop being so stubborn! If I say run, you run!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

The wolf bucked again, Karl swung the branch in such a spiral pattern that it looked like he was stringing the wolf along and with a flick of his wrist, he struck out, sending the wolf flying away. Another crash into the bushes.  
Karl looked back at Evan then to the bushes, "See? I can take care of myself. Just go on ahead!"

Evan screamed, "I'm not leaving you! I would give up _everything_ just for you, just _you,_ Ruprecht!"

Again, the wolf came out. However, it didn't go at him, instead it charged at Evan, knocking him to the ground. It let out a long howl, but the howl sounded more sad than victorious. It suddenly clamped it's jaws hard on his shoulder.  
A huge clatter was heard and the locket Karl had made for him was cracked right in the wolf's jaw. The round form of it was dentted and there was another huge _crack_. He could only assume that the wolf had tightened the ferocity of it's jaws.  
"Ahhgh!!" he screamed while gripping the wolf's fur.

Karl was not prepared for this. Yes, he was ready to fight off the wolf for Evan, but to actually see Evan being bitten on and squirming under it as though he was it's personnel chew toy. That was getting too much.  
The memories of seeing Evangeline fighting against the murderer, seeing him attack her so brutally, having the barrel of his gun look him dead in the eye. The sound of the gunshot ringing in his ears as they played the ballad of quick death with a quick _whirrr_ and the zip of the body bag as they took her away from him forever. Her warm arms turning cold around him as she blocked the bullet from searing into him. His first kiss with her and everything that night when he had caused her death. Now he could have a chance to protect someone dear to him and redeem himself, he was frozen in his feet. His heart was racing, his breath was quick, he was sweating.  
It wasn't just physically, it was more mentally. It was like darkness consuming him, turning him inside out, breaking his fragile mind into pieces. His glass heart that was varnished and so well protected, being bombarded by invisible claw scratching until it started to shatter.

"Get out of here! Just go, I'll be fine!!" Evan screamed to him, saving him from the eclipse of himself. The small little twinkle shined in his golden eyes. He was lying again. He wasn't going to be fine, he was going to die if he didn't do anything soon. All the years of fencing and fighting was for her, to make sure no one would die for him again. The hours of whipping himself with a fresh oak branch and lacerating his fine back with his long sword, to teach him that there was pleasure and good things in pain and discipline. Everything that he had developed and done up to this point was for her and he certainly wasn't going to do such a thing again.

Just by pure instinct and gut, he dropped the branch and jumped at the wolf, managing to get it off of Evan. Though the action had it's desired results there was another outcome; he got bit. Without even thinking, he bopped the wolf on the nose, which made it open it's jaws for an instant. An instant was all it took to get to his feet, grab Evan, and run like he was on fire. They kept running.

Evan panted out while being dragged by Karl, "Why?... You... You could've just ran... You wouldn't... have been... hurt at all..."

Karl took a deep breath and ran faster, culling Evan closer to him.

He actually started to pick up more speed and ran faster than Karl, "If you just left me... you would've... been safe by now... the chances of only one of us... surviving were.... significantly higher... than the both of us..."

Karl breathed out about half a breath that he had reserved, "You die, I die. Running... much better!"

They didn't even care whether or not the wolf was behind them or not, they still kept running. Up the hill, behind the trees, over a ruined home, through the brook. They just kept running and running. Even when their very breath was choking them and their legs were about to give away, they kept running and running.

They finally stopped right outside the hinterlands, a bridge away from town. Evan leaned against a tree, his arms hugging it and it looked like he was barely standing. Karl fell back against a similar tree right next to Evan. As they panted and gasped for breath, sweat running down their faces and staining their clothes. They looked to each other once and smiled, laughing that such an unbelievable thing had happened and they outran it!  
His thigh was throbbing. The damned wolf had bit through him to get blood pouring out, but strangely his pants weren't ripped. The bright side was that his damp clothes were finally dry. He ran a hand through his sweaty messy hair and breathed leisurely. He looked over at Evan and slurred a bit, "Hey."

Evan raised himself up a bit and smiled back a "Hey."

"You alright?"

He nodded, "Lost my hat and broke the locket, though. You?"

"Wolf bit me. Don't worry about the locket, I'll make you a new one, with a better song too."

"Thanks, Ruprecht."  
Evan stumbled away from the tree and into Karl's arms. "I'm so sorry... this.... this is my fault... entirely."

Karl brought his hands to the edge of Evan's slip and pulled it down a bit. "My fault too." When he pulled it down low, he expected to see a huge gash matching much of his own with torn skin, blood spilling out, and puncture wounds. But... there was nothing. All that remained was dried crusty blood on his shoulder. Hell, there weren't even wounds left. Just scars and... it looked like it was healing, no... like it was already healed. "Evan?"

"Yeah?" his head swung right to left in a tired motion. His eyes were halfway closed and his hair had come undone. Up close, he looked a lot like a girl than a boy.

"Why am I still bleeding when your shoulder... is already healed and closed up?"

Evan's swollen lips parted a bit. He looked nervous and Karl was wondering what sort of explanation he would give then or do to get out of explaining, but then... Evan leaned forward.  
He leaned forward and kissed Karl.

Karl's eyes opened wide at what was happening.

His entire view of the world was filled by Evan's dim amber ones. He left his arms at his side, staying completely still to Evan's actions.  
The kiss was warm, their lips molded against each other so perfectly, like they were made for each other. His lips really were soft, softer than any other girl's he ever had, more than Evangeline's red ones. They weren't even using tongue and it already felt so incredible. He wondered would the sensations of it all change if Evan was a girl; if it was a girl's delicate alluring form pressing up against him, grabbing him with sharp nails.  
He inhaled easy and slow, wildflowers filling the air he breathed. His nerves were erratic, tingling and going crazy.

Everything was so rapid, but at the same time, calm and peaceful.

He could feel Evan's body pulling away only to move back against him. It felt so wrong, but so right, could such mutual understandings that were so opposite from another co-exist so perfectly? He felt electric. His nerves jerking all around, getting warmer and sending blood to his cheeks. Everything was shocking to him and tingling within him.  
His fingers were aching to just dig into Evan, run through his long hair. But he pinched them into the rough bark behind him. His loins were tightening, feeling stiff and like it would burst any second. It was getting so intense, to a hard climax that he could swear his member was close to turning inside out. His stomach was twisting into knots. His heart was racing faster than when he encountered the wolf and when he was running with Evan for their dear lives.

The kiss ended with Evan drawing his head back and breathing out loud. He smiled an awkward nervous smile. Karl was still numb. _'What just happened?'_  
He pushed Evan away a bit.

"Ruprecht?" Evan asked to Karl's back

"Let's... just go back." he said coldly, going ahead without looking back at Evan. He was too shocked to what just transpired between them.  
Did it really just happen?  
Did he think it up?  
What had just happened, indeed?

* * *

Karl separated ways from Evan as soon as they entered through town.

He didn't even wave goodbye to the one boy he loved with his heart, the boy he had just shared intimate moments with, the one boy he shared such a heartfelt kiss with, the one boy he would never see again.

He crawled up to his room without any notice and proceeded to clean himself up with a washcloth and changed into new clothes.  
He fell back onto the bed and clutched a pillow to his chest. Then, he brought it to his face and screamed into it. He held a high pitch scream until he ran out of breath. He panted outloud as he he removed the pillow from suffocating his face any more.

Why had he done that?  
Why?  
How could he be so stupid?  
That was what he always wanted, right?  
He always imagined having Evan in his arms and kissing the dear boy. Why was it when it actually did happen, he freaked out?  
It was bad enough he acted like he wasn't into it, but to just brush away Evan like that?  
What did he think of him now?  
Okay, he was in shock, yes. It's perfectly natural to be in shock when your best friend just kissed you without any warning. But... it was sort of... something... to enjoy it a bit without touching back. But... he wanted it for so long and then to act so hostile like that? His heart was still racing, his groin was still stiff as ever.

He closed his eyes and remembered. Remembered how fragile Evan felt in his arms when he grasped his shoulders, how demure he looked with his lips parted, how pretty his golden eyes were shining. Most of all, he remembered the feelings that were evoked in him, the sweatier palms, the victory of how he escaped death, the fruit of it all, the giddy nervousness, and how perfect it felt. He placed the pillow at his side and brought 2 fingers to his lips, trying to replay the kiss both physically and mentally.  
No use, the kiss was more than indescribable and it was too much to attempt to recreate.

Suddenly the door opened and Karl threw the pillow at the door, "Knock!"

Out stepped Robert. Though the strangest thing with the picture was the he had on the most devious smile ever. The only times Karl could remember seeing Robert smile like that was when he found a peephole to the girl's shower at his school and when he took a a picture of the principal and the teacher getting it on in their office, though he got in trouble, he got off with enough money to buy that new bike he saw the earlier week.  
He smiled a toothy grin, "Hey."

"What do you want?"

From under his red shirt, he tossed a roll of bandages onto Karl's stomach. Karl stood up and picked up the roll, "What?"

Robert sauntered over to the edge of the bed and sat down. "Bloody clothes will really tell a lot."

Karl looked at the rool, wondering whether or not he should accept the gesture of good will. But knowing Robert, he never did anything for free. It was either he wanted something or he was atoning himself for a crime. "Did you tell my mum and dad?"

He winked and answered with the wiliest smile, "They asked where you 'cause they didn't see you come in. You should be glad that I'm always keeping a watchful eye. Anyway, I told them that you ran to the washroom and couldn't be disturbed 'cause you had the runs."

_The runs?_ Okay, he was a true moron and Karl hated him with every fiber of his being. Why couldn't he come up with another excuse? Was his mind so stuck in the gutter that he had to think up the most disgusting excuses?  
_The runs?_ Who would honestly in their right mind think of that?  
His anger with himself was luckily diminishing however his anger now turned to Robert and was so close to bubbling over and boiling. He grabbed another pillow close to his head and whacked him with it, "I hate you so much right now... Be glad that I'm too sore to beat you up."

Robert picked up the other pillow that was left disheveled on the ground and hit Karl back. "Like you could anyway. What happened? You get attacked by a mountain lion or a wolf or something?"

Karl rolled up his pants as high as he could and started to replace the rag he used as bandage with the fresh roll. "Wolf."

The expression on Robert's face changed significantly. He turned inwards to Karl and grabbed him by his shoulders, "Are you serious?"

Karl nodded calmly, too tired and angry to portray any more emotions.  
He had spent it all on the one person he would always love and rejected so harshly. Robert's face was completely red and his eyes were wide with surprise.

It was clear that he was not expecting Karl to answer so truthfully or even the response itself. "Whoa, I thought you tripped and fell! But jeez... a wolf? How big was it? What happened?"

He knotted up the bandage and laid back down on the bed, "Don't want to talk about it."

Robert opened up his mouth, but closed it quickly as though he was just rethinking something, "Nevermind, even if it wasn't a wolf attack... I guess I shouldn't bother you too much." He stood up and headed for the door.

"Robert."

"Yeah?" he turned around with a straight face, But something just have him away, he could just imagine that when his back was turned, he was laughing and smiling like the cat who ate the canary.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing."

But Karl knew. He could just tell. His mother's gift of intuition was something he was thankful to have inherited and it was very useful when dealing with people. The twitching facial muscles, the wide eyes, the clenching fist at his side, and the much too straight posture. Yeah, those were definite signs that he was lying. "You better tell me."

Robert ran out the door, having it open just a small crack, "Honestly, it's nothing. How about this? Just take a nice nap, I'll keep your wolf incident a secret and I'll wake you up when it's dinner."

Before he could even say anything, Robert slammed the door and all that was left was the sound of running footsteps. He didn't want to do anything that Robert suggested, but the idea of a nap sounded nice.  
He rolled over on his side and used his arm as a pillow, something was nibbling at his side. Not real nibbling that would be portrayed as pain, more like an annoyance to something he forgot. He turned over on the other side, hoping that the change of position would either help him remember or have the feeling completely repressed. His gaze turned to the drawer where he kept his lockets, they were either messed up or some were missing, he couldn't tell from his angle.

His eyes widened as he remembered. _Locket; Gone and messed up; Broken; Evan...; He had to make Evan a new locket!_

He sat up, his legs aching, and wondered to himself. He sighed in ire, what was the point of it? After he had rejected his friend so harshly, with coldness and nary a word, he bet that he would never want to see him again. But there was the deal of a promise...  
He still couldn't believe how dumb he was; he pined for Evan ever since he met him and when there was some sort of verification that Evan did indeed feel something for him enough to kiss him, he turned him away because he was scared and shocked.

Did he only want him so much... because he knew they couldn't be together, because it was so impossible?  
When it was out of his grasp he was happy to want it, but only when it was achievable, he didn't need the desire anymore?  
Was that how he was?

He sat up with the pain twittering in his leg, as he made his way to the table against the wall with the box of gears and metals. He pulled out a shell that he was working on earlier before his trip and started to put in the gears.  
While he worked, he thought of which song he could work on. It had to be something that would tell Evan that he was sorry, that he wanted his fogiveness, that he was an idiot, that he needed him, that he did love him back but was too foolish and scared of actually having it happen.

All in all, he needed to make it special. But if he were to get it done, how would he give it to him?

He could go early in the morning to give it to him before he left. No, but then Robert would probably follow him.  
He could just go up and walk to him and give it to him. But maybe he would still be too humiliated and bitter about the kiss that he wouldn't even listen or even accept.  
He could ask someone to give it to him. But with his luck with Evan, someone would lose it accidentally and/or keep it for themselves if Evan was angry and gave it to them.

He sighed as he finished putting in the gears. He just had to find the right tune now. But what could it be? What could it be?  
He thought back to when he first met Evan. The boy who was rolling around in the grass while brutish bullies picked on him mercilessly. He had been there to save him. Even at first glance, he saw how much beauty there was in him, how much kindness that he was wiling to give up everything he had for another.  
How hard-working he was for his parents. His intelligence and loving charm had captivated him the most, had hooked him.

He had met him in quiet fields.... Strange how when that phrase came into his head, he thought back to that day 3 years ago when he met the musical pianist, Evangeline, for the first time. Everything she had described in her playing, everything he had sung then, was almost a prediction to this month.  
He had met Evan in quiet fields and tried to grasp for his attention, his heart, but couldn't properly do so. They were both boys, such a relationship between them would be taboo, they couldn't be together, but he still wanted him.  
Even with the wolf attack, it was a good example of how much he would give up for Evan, his heart, his soul, and his very life.

He had thought about making a locket with that song for him in the first place, but when his feelings grew stronger he became nervous about it.  
Could he give that song to Evan now?  
Now, of all times?  
He thought it was probably the best choice.

The song itself was almost in a way how he met Evan, how their relationship was, and it was important to him so it made a good apology.

Yes, he would do it. He started humming out the tune as he got working on the gears. He could only hope that he would have enough time to give it to him. Hell, he could only hope that Evan would accept his apology.

He turned the last gear and the same lullaby from so many years ago started playing.  
Oh, the memories it brought back. If only he could replay it all over again, he hoped he would've have been able to change everything. He would've saved her. He would've ran after and held onto her to make sure she didn't leave. He wouldn't have just watched her fight for her life, he would just took one look and run to go get help. She would've lived. She wouldn't have had to jump in front of the bullet for him. She would still be alive and playing music for him to sing with, he would've idolized her and loved her, instead, damn his stupid prejudice, instead of falling for Evan.

He looked down at the trinket in his hand, the gears of it still turning through the little square that he had left to make it easy to fix or adjust. Luckily, if the circumstances called for it, the small square opening for gears could be simple covered up with paper or even a picture.  
The locket was perhaps his best so far. Like all the others before it, it was small and round in an oval shape with a loop on top ready for a chain, he would give it a chain later. It was a silver like the one he gave Evan the first time and not made of a bronze type like the others. His family crest was on it, 2 wolves facing each other at profile with a crown between the 2 of them at their heads. Though the front was plain with it, he added a layered wrinkled ruffle to around it, not just the simple frill for one of the others. Behind it had the imprint of a flower, a forget me not. So Evan would never forget him, to forget the offense but not the person.

He just hoped that in the morning, everything would be alright...  
Yes, he hoped.

* * *

**Da da daahhh... **

**Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan.  
****Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
****Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan,  
Karl kissed Evan!!!!**

**I cannot believe it, can you? Well, actually I can sort of believe it, since I wrote this fanfic after all. I hope you guys have had a really good read up to this point. If you thought this chapter was shocking, wait till you read the next chapter. There's an even bigger twist!!! As if this story could get any more twists already, o0o0o0o0oh!!!**

**Please review this fanfic and tell me what you think of it so far.**

**Hey, has anyone ever seen the film starring Will Smith, "I, Robot"? It's such a good film!!!**


	4. Eternal Lullaby

**Ngoc Chau doesn't own Hellboy.**

**It involves a big twist that you didn't expect...or you might've already seen and you just stayed quiet to humour me....**

**Anyway, here it is!!**

**PLEASE DON'T SKIP IT! I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE IT IF YOU JUST READ IT AND REVIEWED IT AT THE END!!!!  
**

* * *

**This chapter's song is;**

**"_Eyes On Fire_"  
by  
Blue Foundation**

**http: // www . youtube .com/watch?v=Kxx77jHieKc**

* * *

**Chapter Piece;**

_The melody was dismal as he remembered, the first lines singing of everything that was sad and unrequited emotions. The next few lines came closer to the middle and there was more of a joyful feeling to it before. Instead of little spots and lights of reasons and hope, there was a huge core of joy and wishes. His heart beated rapidly against his ribcage as he sung each lyrics, each word, thinking about the inspirations for the feeling and song. He smiled as he sung, what was there not to smile about. It felt like the happiest moment in his life.  
So reminiscent to one of his most fondest memories to visit. She played this song for him, she pushed him forward, she made him stronger than he could hope for. She made him happy and she saved him. What else could a person do to have someone fall in love so easily?  
He blushed as he thought of her while the mysterious girl played._

_His nerves were tingling and his breath was surprisingly short. He felt nervous and jilted. When did he ever have such a strange account of feelings? He recalled back to 2 momnts of his life when he did. It was when... he waited for Evan to come to his window as he always did before and he was late by 15 minutes. And... when they kissed for the first time. A feeling of naughtiness rose in him; here he was singing this beautiful serious piece and he was thinking raunchy thoughts. But when he looked back at the girl -her face grim while her song said something else- he felt himself... an odd sensation that he couldn't place a finger on. _

_Everyone sat glued to their seats, watching him with more attentive eyes than they ever had when he gave them private shows, curtesy of his parents. He turned to the young girl playing the piano. She kept her face down, not even looking up. Why? He waited for her to just look up. He sang louder, higher, until his own breath was killing him to just coerce her to look up at him._ 'Look up at me. Just look up at me. I want to see, I want to see your eyes.'  
_Her head swayed to the music, her expression with closed eyes looking just like Evangeline's.  
_'Look up at me, just for an instant. Let me see your eyes. Are they the same as hers? Are you her?'

* * *

**Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany  
1911**

* * *

What time was it now? 6... 7 am?  
Karl woke up rubbing his eyes as the sunlight poured in from the crack of the curtains. He didn't start packing his bag right away, instead, he sat on the edge of the bed, his legs still under the sheets.

Today was the day.  
He would leave this town and not come back till the next spring. He would never see Evan again. Evan wouldn't be here waiting for him in the next year.  
This was the last day.  
This was the last day to see him, to apologize and beg for forgiveness.

The hardest parts about his now was... would Evan really forgive him?  
Would Karl have the guts to walk up to the boy he loved and rejected and tell him that he was sorry? Even to his brilliant mind, he didn't know the answers. He breathed outloud, yawning as he did.  
His back was sore, his eyes were tired, his already disheveled hair was the messiest. He started thinking up different scenerios like a military or game strategy to how he could approach Evan. If Evan were to say this, he would say that. If he said that back, he could do this.

There were so many choices, but so little chances for any of it happening. Everything was all strategy and nervousness now, just like before. Except the circumstances were completely different and more or less, mostly more, worse.

* * *

After getting dressed, he was planning to just go over to see Evan, just give him the locket and run off before he could even give it back. He stood at the door, his hand on the knob while the other was clenching the locket tightly in his hand.  
This would be it. This would be... the most boldest thing he would ever do. .... He would simply die if anyone found out though.

But as he ran down the stairs, he was shocked to see his father, uncle, and aunt sitting at the table talking amongst themselves. Karl tried to creep past the crowd to the door, surely he could run from here to the cobblers' and back in about 10 minutes.  
Unfortunately, his father called on him, "Karl! Son, you're up! And you're dressed... a little too casual but still you look nice. How did you find out? Did Robert or your mother tell you?"

Karl was confused. What was his father talking about? What did he have to get dressed for? What was Robert and his mother going to tell him?  
"Tell me what?"  
His uncle handed him a pink paper from his pockets. Immediately he realized that it was the invitation that he hid away. His mouth dropped, "Where did you get that?"

His uncle smiled at him, "You should thank Robert. He handed it to me and I gave it to your parents just last night."

His father spoke up, "I can't believe that you forgot, son. We should go to the Eisigs party. I know you and their boy are friends and his sister is very fond of you. Besides, we can always drive home in time and make it back in time for you to go to school!"

He grimaced, "But... if we went home as scheduled then we'll have to get everything back to normal for the second semester with spare time!"

His father waved his hand, "Nonsense about that, we should go see them, they're good friends of the family. Besides, we'll use up that spare time to have a bit of fun before we go back. Karl, school starts in a few days, not a few hours!"

Karl was astounded.  
He didn't want to go see them! Why should he waste his time on the boy who took his friend and the girl who was crazy and loopy? This was basically a no-win situation. There was no force on this world strong enough to make him go. His father was too timid, even when he was angry. His aunt and uncle always bended down to his will to make him happy because they valued his intelligece that Robert lacked. Robert was definitely someone he would never listen to. There was no way he would go to that birthday party! Nothing in this world could make his. Nothing! Not even the fires of hell, not if someone threatened him with a gun to his forehead, not even if someone gave him a choice to walk on hot coals!

".. You are going to that party, Karl Ruprecht Kroenen! And you will be on your best behavior, do you hear me, young man?"  
He turned around to see... his mother. Okay, so there was 1 thing in this world that could make him go.

His eyes drooped a bit, "Mom, please! I don't want to go, Augusta.... she's... she's..."

Robert stepped in from nowhere, "Totally smitten with you and would just die if you didn't show up at least to wish her a happy birthday?"

Karl felt a tingle down his back and a weight in his gut, in what Robert just said was guaranteed to get him killed by his mother. "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen!"  
He hated it when she used his full name. _'Karl Kroenen'_ was already a warning and he loated hearing the name biting from her teeth, but _'Karl Ruprecht Kroenen'_ meant serious business. With a name like that, it was embarassing and humiliating to say and hear, but when she spoke it, it was dangerous and scary. His mother roared louder, not even caring that everyone was watching,  
"That girl is madly in love with you and you won't even have the audicity to see her on her birthday when she invited you? What kind of a man are you? How could you humiliate her? Imagine her crying when the day is done and gone and she knew that you weren't even there. Be honorable, just go and see her to make her happy. A girl's feelings are not something to be toyed with!"

_'What about a boy's feelings? What if it was a boy?'_ he questionned himself. He didn't want Augusta or have anything to do with her, he loved Evan and he wanted to make amends to him. Screw the day, screw everything, but he couldn't forsake Evan. "I don't like her!"

"It does not matter at the time, Karl Ruprecht Kroenen."

"I am in love with a boy!!!" he screamed.

There was an awkward silence. Robert's face was quivering; more likely he was trying to hold back a smile and a laugh. His father looked straight to the ground right away. His mother was seething, "Don't joke like that to us. Don't! Like it or not, you are going and you must not tell lies or joke that way."

They thought he was joking. He wasn't. He loved Evan. But, he was still afraid of getting in trouble.... especially when the air was as thick and dangerous as it was then.  
Karl argued back, "I'll go, but can I just go somewhere else first, just for a few minutes?"

His mother snapped, "No, we're leaving to go see the Eisigs right now!" She turned to her husband and Robert, "You 2, go get ready!" His father and Robert disappeared in a cloud of dust as they stormed upstairs to get everything nessessary and to run from the infuriated woman downstairs. As quick as she suddenly appeared behind Karl, she reverted to a gentle woman and turned to his uncle and aunt, "Brother, sister... would you like to accompany us too? It would be very fun."

His aunt and uncle adjusted to the difference in character swiftly, "No thank you, just take Robert with you and bring him back when you're done. He was the only one that asked, after all."

She tilted her head and smiled, then looked to Karl, "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, I want you to give one of your lockets to Augusta. A nice one, now, with a lovely song and design."  
The hold on the silver locket in his hand tightened even more. Okay, she could have any of his lockets, hell, she could have any one of his limbs, just not this one; it was for Evan. He nodded his head and sprinted upstairs.  
His mother was the one force where nothing could ever make him talk back to her. She was the most perfect and loving mother there was, but when she was angry.... she could possibly stare down Lucifer the devil himself.

He went into his room. Why couldn't they have woken him up right after dinner and told him instead of letting him fall asleep right away? Karl grudgingly made his way around his room, looking at the array of lockets at his disposal to give to Augusta.  
That witch, why did he have to go? She gave him the creeps all the time.

Typical, his set of lockets weren't messed up, they were missing, Robert must've stolen them. He mentally cursed him cousin, that idiot. Looking at the gaggle of lockets he had left after Robert's theft act, he decided to give her the one he had made a few days ago, the one that played the "Tempest" by Beethoven. He had intended it at first for Robert, because that was exactly who he was; a giant storm who just made a big mess of things.  
He shuddered as he picked it up, the locket in his hand and pocket suddenly felt heavy, weighing down his stomach and guilt. He had planned it so well.

Last night when he was working on the shell of it and the gear-work, the design that he scraped and pounded into it was inspired by Evan. He worked so hard on it for him, just for him. By the time he finished making it, it looked too professional, it looked perfect. But now... he had put so much thought into it, thinking what could be done and said as he would hand it to him as a farewell gift and to ask for remittal.  
He had built up the guts to try and face him, to control his desire so that he wouldn't jump into Evan's arms right away as he would see him in first light. But now because of that Augusta and Alexander, he was forced to overlook his plan for their stupid birthday!  
What a rip off.

He looked up to himself in the mirror over the cupboard, he looked tired. He looked just plain awful. Even with his blue eyes wide open, his blonde hair having a little spring to it and his clothing neat and tuck, he looked a bit sickly.  
Perhaps he could pass off for being under the weather. Without any warning, his mother's voice thundered, "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen! What is taking so long? Get yourself down here right now!"

He jolted a bit to the surprise, "Yes, I'm coming!"  
He sprinted to the door, his black shoes clacking heavily like hail pebbles on the wooden floors. Screw Augusta, he wasn't going to give her a chain for the damn locket, she could try and make something out of it herself without him.  
Evan's locket was safe in his pocket then, a small hope and goal for Evan's forgiveness and a reminder to his stupidity to just reject his feelings and sudden endearment from fear and surprise. While Augusta's locket was in his hand, collecting salty sweat and just asorbing the angry heat from his hand.

He stopped down at the stairs where his mother stood with her hips out, her skirt looking more like a uniform at that moment than a simple dress for a party, and her pretty face suddenly transformed into the stern devil gaze of a general. He was reminded of his grandfather, his mother's father at that moment who had been a general in the military.  
His grandfather always said that there was one thing that a general had no power over; his daughter. Before he thought his grandfather was joking about something like that, but since a few years ago, he was starting to believe it was indeed the real truth.

She blew a stray blonde strand, that was in front of her face, away and ordered to the line of men standing alongside with him; His father who had just combed his hair and put on a dark jacket, that went different with his brown pants. He didn't look as happy as he did, with his nose up in the air so obediently and his hands stiff at his sides.  
Robert was almost the same, his hair was combed to the sides, looking like a sissy, and his view was directed at the ceiling. His clothes had been changed completely to looking from one that was planning to go fishing in the morning to one that was going to a funeral. Some way to dress for a party. His hands were behind his back and from Karl's view, it could be seen that he was gripping a locket.  
So that was where that one went.

His uncle and aunt was nowhere to be seen, probably they were dead scared of seeing their sister in law in a scornful fury.

His mother walked with her heels tapping against the floor, her gaze was hard, harder than a military officer looking death in the face. She licked her hand like a dog and smothered his hair. He fought back, "Mom! No, you're messing up my hair!"

She argued back with him, "Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, your hair is a mess. You're already 14 and you still can't fix your own hair, it looks like a crow's nest. Don't you want to look nice for Augusta?"

No. but he was sure if he answered, she would rip out his tongue and spaz. He chose to remain silent, because he bet if he lied and answered that he did, Robert would tell her after and there would be no end to that. God, the smell of spit and the wet feeling was horrid on his hair. In a few hours, the bodily fluid would dry up and leave his soft hair all crispy. he hated that feeling, it was even worse than not bathing for a month. He could hear Robert snickering a laugh back next to him, his father as well.

Once his mother finished fixing his hair, she ordered in a strict voice, "Everybody, into the car."

* * *

The car drive was the most quiet, nobody made a sound or tried to converse.  
That was probably the best thing because if he had a chance to talk, mindless cursing would be all that came out of his mouth. He didn't want to go, he didn't want to see them. He would've rather been driving back home to Munich than to their party. He looked out, the trees and mountainsides.... the uneasy chill came back to him.  
The memories of the attack yesterday, the red wolf watching him with scarlet eyes, everything. That stupid wolf, it was all it's fault. If only it hadn't been there, everything would've been normal and all, but because of it, they ran for their dear lives like they were on fire and... it wouldn't have compelled Evan to kiss him for some reason. He wouldn't have freaked out and turned him away, he would still be smitten with him... living in total ignorance without knowing what Evan felt for him.

He was sure he would've been happier with that, just not knowing because he was scared. Such a love between 2 people would be taboo. There was a reason that such a thing wasn't allowed, it simply meant that the 2 couldn't be together, that it was already fated.  
Fighting fate was useless.  
You go against the urge to eat, but nonetheless, you still eat after. You do all you can to lead a pious life, but you still die no matter what after that. Fate was fate, there was no point in changing what the stars wrote down for you, it was impossible to do such a thing.

He sighed, Evan did look an awful lot like a girl. What if he could be a girl?  
The biggest twist would be that Evan was in disguise all the time, when actually he was a girl. Karl stopped in his thoughts a bit. Nah, it couldn't be true, such things like that only happened in books and literature.  
He sighed bitterly to himself, why couldn't Evan had been a girl? In fact, if such a boy like Evan could exist, could there also be a girl like Evan who lived somewhere out there in the world? He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts.  
No, he was faithful.

Evan was Evan.  
That was all.

He wasn't just the boy that always worked hard everyday.  
He wasn't just the boy who gave away all he had to help.  
He wasn't just the brilliant student in acedemics.  
Evan was Evan.  
All those that made up who he was, was small compared to him.  
Evan was Evan, and that was all.  
He loved Evan, like there was only 1 him, there was only 1 Evan.  
Besides, he never did anything to hurt him, everything he did was to help all those around him and more. He had so much love to give and what did he do the entire time; question his motives like there was something suspicious.  
Of course after that, someone would be angry! He closed his eyes, his heart beating faster and faster to the thoughts of before this entire thing happened. It was so much easier.

He suddenly heard a cough next to him, he looked up.  
Robert stared back at him with droppy eyes and a tired expression melted on his face. "What're you looking at?" he asked in a slur. Drool ran down the corners of his mouth in a white pasty substance.

Karl answered back, "The ugliest idiot I've ever known."

Robert yawned, his teeth shining against his dark lips, "I hate you so much, Karl. You know that?"

He looked away to the window, "I hate you too."

Pulling out his trump card and hitting way below the belt, Robert laughed, "I know one person who would never hate you in a million years."

Karl's attention was more atoned now, he stared back at Robert, "You are the biggest asshole I have ever seen.... You even smell as bad as one."

"You should be careful of what you say."

"Why is that?"

"I'm wearing your dad's cologne."

Karl thought back. His dad didn't wear this brand of... waitaminute, his dad never even smelled this bad. Robert, on the other hand, smelled like he hadn't taken a bath in a month!  
"You talk too much." Karl mumbled to Robert.

Without anyway of response to Karl, but at the same time striking back at him, he leaned forward from his seat and smiled, "Thank's, uncle. For letting me use some of your cologne!"

Karl's father looked back for a second as he was driving, "Oh, you're welcome, Robert!"

Karl sunk back in his chair as he heard his mother ask, "Dear, you gave Robert some of your cologne? Dear, he's just a young boy, what would your brother and his wife say to that?"

His father laughed, "Don't worry, he's already 15!"

Okay, so Robert was wearing his father's cologne.  
There was all he could say to that now.  
"I hate you, Robert."

"I hate you too, buddy."

* * *

They arrived at the Eisigs' house up in the higher parts of town, the hills.

There were automobiles around everywhere and a few carriages. Gatherings of adults came around and crowded the entire front, only a few select groups of children stood in a bored fashion around each other. Some of the boys were wearing average clothes, but had their hair smoothed to the side in a way that it looked so dorky. They stood slouched with eyes that dropped a bit and they could be heard asking each other in low voices,  
"Who are you here for?"  
or "You come or your parents dragged you?"  
The boys looked like they were dragged against their wills and just chained up in this high prestige place.

The girls, on the other hand, looked a bit more spirited about the party, wearing fancy dresses and having their hair done up or curled. However, they could be heard gossiping in spiteful tongues, "Did you see that stupid Augusta? She actually told me in my invite to not wear this dress. But I'm just going to wear it anyway to show her who's boss!"

Karl straightened his back a bit, in a place where the adults wore masks and the children were more deceitful than anyone could account for, an air of confidence and wits would be all that you had to defend yourself, that and possibly a quick jab if you had to.  
He held lightly on to the locket that he was planning to give Augusta, if it dropped and he got kicked out or she got angry at him wouldn't be so bad.

Robert looked to Karl and asked suddenly, "So, what do you think she's going to say if we gave her the same thing?"

"I don't care." he sighed as he tried to plot and think up what could've happened if he went and saw Evan. The boy was on his mind more than ever now. Why?  
Oh yeah, it was because he might've lost the most important person in his life.

His parents got out first and then the 2 boys. His mother was in her good mood, she told them in a squeal, "Okay, go off and find your friends now and have a nice time. But remember, we'll be leaving in a few hours!"  
His father walked off a bit, wavering his foot in mid-air. "Not you, you have to stay with me and talk to the other housewives!" she laughed at him as she grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Robert and Karl looked at each other. "What should we do now?" Robert asked as he shrugged his shoulders.

Karl didn't really care, he wished he could just run out of this place, go and jump in the river and drown himself. This sucked! "I don't know, should we pay some other kid to give her the presents?"

Robert snickered as he rubbed his chin and raised his eyebrows a bit, "Really? You know, she's going to come after you, no matter what. Face it, you're stranded here until your parents decide to go back to Munich!"

"You're right." he said dejectedly. For the time being, he was stuck in Hell and Limbo at the same time. What could be worst than that... oh yeah, nothing else.

Robert looked up, "Hey, Augusta's coming this way, what're you gonna do?"

His head snapped around to see, there was nobody there, just a small crowd of children standing admist the the scattered couples of adults. He turned around and punched him right in the face. Lucky, mostly for Robert, it wasn't all that hard of a punch. But it still resulted in his stumbling back a few steps whild clutching his burning-red cheek.  
He rubbed it and alughed while attempting to find a sort of balance in his twisted feet, "Nice swing there. Didn't know you could pull it like that, you're always fighting with sticks and all." He laughed and rubbed his fists, even though he didn't hit hard, Robert's head must've been as hard as rock because his knuckles were almost bleeding. Robert pointed at the same spot again while rubbing his now swollen cheek, "Augusta, 12 o' clock right there."

He huffed, "Not falling for that again, moron." Who did he think he was? There was an issue to trying to trick someone, but to use the same trick twice with a few seconds between? That was so stupid now! All of a sudden, he felt an arm at his side.

"Karl, you're here! I'm so happy! I didn't think you would show up, but.. you did!" the voice shrieked right in his ear. Damn that Robert, using the most devious trick this time, telling the truth!

He laughed nervously, "Augusta, you're holding a little too tight. Can you let go?" Augusta tightened her grip. Karl felt much too disgusted to even think about anything else. His stomach turned and it was like his intestines wanted to be upchucked.

"You're... you're..." she stuttered as she held on tighter and tilted her head towards him.

"He loves you." Robert stated matter-of-factly.

Damn him. Why did he have to do that? Why did he want to provoke him? The chills and repulsion increased as she rubbed up against him a bit.

"Oh, Karl, you're such a tease." Her face was turning red, but more of a rashy red instead of the rosy tinge that Evan had.

Evan!  
The thought of him gave him strength to wriggle out of her arms and shove the gift into her hands. "Here, for you!"

She looked at it and gasped, "Oh, Karl! It's so beautiful! I love it! Wait till the other girls see this, they'll be so jealous! Imagine this, I'll have something that you made from the heart just for me and they don't! This is just like a promise ring... it's like an engagement gift!"

Robert snorted a small laugh, "Engagement gift."

Engagement gift? What the fucking hell?!! This was getting too much! Everything was screwed up right now, the only thing he would rather do than marry her would be to shoot himself in the head.  
She pointed to the house and squealed, "Karl, let's go in, I want to show you off and your beautiful locket!"

She pulled Karl away, he mouthed out his plea of help to Robert with silent lips that meant, _"Help me!"_

Robert did a thumbs up and laughed, "Go for it!"  
Then he walked away, probably went off to find something to eat or talk with his friends from school.

* * *

After a tiresome time of hiding from Augusta in the garden, the closets, the washrooms, you name it, he got kicked out by a bunch of guys who were also hiding from girls and for other reasons. Unfortunately, the girls that were after the boys who were hiding as well weren't... as pretty as most girls. They were only there to make Augusta look better by comparison.

He wandered amongst the crowd, but soon came to an empty room since he saw Augusta coming for him with a crazy look in her eyes. He definitely had no choice, he ducked right in, thankful that it was unlocked. The room was big and empty, with dust on the tiled floors and shiny spiderwebs everywhere, the sunlight reflecting everything small. It must've been just cleared out from storage or was going to be prepared for storage. He stepped out a little bit more into the room, there were a few mirrors on the wall, the illusion was strange, almost made him want to wander around blindly. He looked to the ground quickly, just wanting to look away from the reflections. The dust was like snow, leaving behind glossy shoeprints surrounded by grainy grey dust.

A rustling sound hit his ears. He turned around to see something step away behind the door. Though the glimpse was quick, he knew what he saw. It was a woman, or a young girl, he couldn't really tell. She wore a very light violet, the dress had a long train, but stopped right at her knees. She had ebony hair, let down loose. He could just imagine how thin and soft it must've felt. His age-old curiosity won him over and he followed the intriguing figure through the door. Strange, how the feeling of deja vu returned to him.

He followed her, there was an urge to just run, but he controled himself and kept a steady pace. As soon as he stepped out of the doorway and turned a hall, following the mysterious girl, a man grabbed him by the shoulder and said in a hearty voice, "Hey, you're Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, right? The Songbird of Munich?"

He nodded his head. He knew he wasn't in trouble for sure. Yeah, the only times his full name was called was when he was in trouble, but when the title added on was "the Songbird of Munich" was added on, there was only one reason why he would be sought after. He didn't bother speaking, knowing the answer already, instead he decided to only nod.

The man smiled up at him and said, "They're looking for you, just to hear you sing!"

He nodded once more and followed the man, to another hallway where everyone was already sittingn in a circle, children and adults alike. The crowd rose in applause as he walked in, he bowed a low bow and waved a bit. All the girls started squealing while the boys kept a steady clap.

The same man walked up to a stand where a piano was. He called out loud, "Guests, family and friends, we have the please today for our own Alexander and Augusta to have the Songbird of Munich sing on their 15th birthday! What better pleasure than that."  
Again, there was applause. Karl walked up to the stand, jumping to get on the same level next to a dark grand piano. The man wavered his hand and pulled out Alexander from the crowd. "Now, we will have the Songbird and the young master entertain us in a duet between voice and keys!"

He saw Alexander for the first time since he arrived at the party. He was dressed a little too fancy for the occasion with his hair slicked back and wearing a tie. His waved hair tucked right below his ears. He reached out a ruffled hand to Karl and shook hands with him, "Don't try to screw up."

"Speak for yourself." Karl said back bitterly.

* * *

**This song is so beautiful, I have to put a link right here for you to listen to as you read. Now, I've chosen this video because I've sort of imagined this was how Kroenen sounded when he was younger, but he was probably better. Still, it's just a thought. Here's the link for the song that Alexander and Karl do together.**

**http: // www . youtube .com/watch?v=IzstMw2ZB30&feature=related**

* * *

They seperated hands too quickly and went their own ways.  
Alexander sat at the piano, his back straight and proper while flipping through the pages of a book that had already been set there. As for Karl, he gulped back the ball of anxiety and spit at the back of his throat. The first key started with a clear _dann_. Then the next note and the next and the next. After a few keys, Karl instantly regonized the piece. _"Die Zauberflöte, der Königin der Nacht"_ by Mozart. Great, singing a woman's part; that must've been why Alexander told him not to screw up. The bastard, well, he would have to show him that no matter what part Karl ruprecht Kroenen got, he would be perfect at it.

He clenched his fists against his sides and rolled on his heels a bit, finding his center. Deep breath and release, he opened his mouth and roared. He started to sing, his voice ringing out. Alexander's quick piano playing was good, it definitely improved over the years, but Karl had improved at a more higher, advanced rate. The piano playing which could've taken away all the attention by one note, was rivaled by the singing of a pure voice that was not of this world, that was unattainable. The range his soprano voice rose and rose, dropping to low only to return to high notes in an instant. The keys danced throught the room, flittering everywhere gracefully as though a little sparrow had just flew in. His tongue held on, but rose up and down and all around, resulting in a more expressive, a more characteristic song.

His voice bounced higher and higher, sounding exactly like a songbird, thus earning him his title as the Songbird of Munich. The chirping had all the girls laughing at him, but not from silliness, but how endearing he was to them. The piano went to a quick solo, hitting chords and moving up and down. He licked his dry lips and winked out at the crowd. A small giggle went throught the group of frill-wearing girls. He didn't move around like he did for his other shows, it was enough that he was singing a woman's role for a song, he wasn't going to go around acting like it. He laughed a bit in his song, adding an extra bounce to the aria. The feeling of grief and curiousity left him a bit, all he did was sing out his frustrations; the anger and heartache leaving in a clear melody. He held a note, his chest heaving as he held it.

He trilled out, speaking as he did so as second nature to him. He was coming close to the end of this little short minute version. The piano came hitting down on the treble keys like little footsteps while he held the note in a powerful voice. A small strand of hair and a bead of sweat fell down his brow, Gods, the room was getting warmer. He cried out again and again as the keys responded back to his tone.

Just then, the tapping of the notes stumbled and hit onto a flat note. It caught Karl off guard and he ceased singing in a trice. Everybody could not deny it. There was a mistake. It would've been better if the idiot had just stopped right there and hit a low C to make it sound conclusive, but he had to go ahead, looking over his sheet music again and trying to play.

_Dwang._  
Wrong note.

_Dwaang.  
_Wrong note again.

Karl couldn't help it, he had to fix this up. He started to scat. His voice jumped up and down in high notes, chirping like a mockingbird again, just trying to get through it. He wasn't sure how to end it then, scatting was one thing where a singer would either stall or have a solo and the piano player would end it with a good key.  
_'Damn you. Just hit any note, any note!!'_ he was thinking to himself.

But the stupid idiot just sat there looking at the sheet music in front of him. _'Hit the damn note!'_ Karl looked out to the audience, seeing the familiar faces for an idea of how to stop his sudden singing. he couldn't just stop now, it would be... like something was just made up on the spot and he could just predict what it would be like after; awful.  
Just as he was holding a note, the soft keys of the piano, in its gentlest form started playing.

The keys were small, building up only to drop down once more. He tried to recall what composition the keys were for, but... he couldn't! The tune wasn't even a song! It sounded like nursary rhyme!!!  
The sound was close to someone experimenting on loose keys to find a song. The idiot! Was he playing his scales? He turned around fast on his heels, ready to snap at Alexander right out loud. But his flawless voice wavered for a mere moment as soon as he saw who was playing the piano then.

It was the same girl he saw in the empty hallway, he was sure of it. The hair and the dress colour was a dead match. When she did she suddenly come up, he didn't hear her?

She had a serene look on her face, her eyes half closed as her white gloved hands danced over the keys, in simple melody. She looked familiar... he narrowed his eyes at the blushing Alexander who was sitting so close next to her.  
Her long onyx hair was left down around her shoulders, making it look like a thin black cape. Her violet dress rose around the bench she sat on, making it look like she was sitting on a puffy cloud streaked with trails of crimson blood that were the ribbons carressing down from the line beneathe her... ahem...bust.  
He blushed a little bit as his eyes traveled upwards to a low U-neck collar.  
She still had her face down, but he could still tell that her face was beautiful. As she finished up her little play on keys, a new melody started playing. A melody he thought he would never hear on piano again, played by another person again.

That lullaby.

His memories danced at the tune of it, the contrast of happiness and sadness, of dark and light, of soft and loud.  
There was no controlled puppet-like feeling this time, this time it were his memories that brought out the lyrics in him. Each sound he remembered from those years ago were clearer. Everything was more to his advantage, to his own beat, he knew it all by heart and soul.  
He felt fantastic as he continued to listen, waiting for the right time to come in. The same intoxicated feeling of being wrapped up with the music returned to him. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this way, so focused, so anxious, so calmed.  
This time, he wouldn't be the puppet on strings to this girl's charm of rapture. This time, he would cut away his strings and free himself, giving himself life and moving her heart as this lullaby had did for him years ago.

She hit the minor chord and he came in on the dot with a powerful soprano voice.

**"Ich sah Sie zum ersten Mal  
Auf den ruhigen Gebieten.  
Ich erreichte heraus zu Ihnen,  
Aber konnte eine Reichweite von nicht erhalten.  
Ich könnte Ihnen nicht sogar erklären  
Von meiner liebevollen Hingabe zu Ihnen.**

**Mein Rissfall und von ihr,  
Es wächst weiße lillies der reinsten  
Substanz.  
Wir werden nicht bedeutet, um zu sein, aber noch sehne mich ich nach Ihnen.  
Mein Herz,  
Welches ich nur zu Ihnen schwöre.**

**Mein Leben, darstelle ich als alleiniges  
Geschenk Ihnen en  
Meine Seele als das Abkommen.  
Ich verspreche alles zu Ihnen.  
Mein liebstes...**

**Außer den Gedächtnissen von Ihnen und nur von Ihnen  
Dass das Leben und das Todeslöschen verursacht.  
Zu für immer, in unseren Händen, die wir bleiben.  
Mein liebes, für dieses, bete ich**

**Wenn ich überhaupt Sie vergesse,  
Ich finde Sie bis die Enden der Zeit.  
Die ist meine Versprechung zu Ihnen.  
Ich schwöre, ich tue.**

**Obwohl ich weglaufen und laufen kann,  
ist es nur für Sie.  
Sie sind meine nur Sorgfalt  
Ich lasse Sie nie,  
es sei denn sie getan werden muss.**

**Mein liebstes  
Es gibt niemande.  
Zu für immer, in unseren Händen, die wir bleiben.  
Mein liebes, für dieses, bete ich.**

**Mein liebstes, meine Liebe.  
Nur Sie, werden i-Ende mein Atem für."**

_I saw you for the first time  
In quiet fields.  
I reached out to you,  
But could not get a grasp of.  
I could not even tell you  
Of my loving devotion to you._

_My tears fall and from it,  
It grows white lilies of the purest  
Substance.  
We are not meant to be, but still I yearn for you.  
My heart,  
Which I swear only to you._

_My life, I present  
As a sole gift to you  
My soul, as the deal.  
I pledge everything to you.  
My dearest..._

_Save the memories of you and only you  
That life creates and death erases.  
To forever, in our hands that we stay.  
My dear, for that, I pray._

_If I ever should forget you,  
I will find you till the ends of time.  
That is my promise to you.  
I swear, I do._

_Though I may stray and run  
It is only for you.  
You are my only care  
I will never leave you  
Unless it must be done._

_My dearest  
There is no one else.  
To forever, in our hands that we stay.  
My dear, for that, I pray._

_My dearest, my love.  
Only you, will I end my breath for._

The melody was dismal as he remembered, the first lines singing of everything that was sad and unrequited emotions. The next few lines came closer to the middle and there was more of a joyful feeling to it before. Instead of little spots and lights of reasons and hope, there was a huge core of joy and wishes. His heart beated rapidly against his ribcage as he sung each lyrics, each word, thinking about the inspirations for the feeling and song. He smiled as he sung, what was there not to smile about. It felt like the happiest moment in his life.  
So reminiscent to one of his most fondest memories to visit. She played this song for him, she pushed him forward, she made him stronger than he could hope for. She made him happy and she saved him. What else could a person do to have someone fall in love so easily?  
He blushed as he thought of her while the mysterious girl played.

His nerves were tingling and his breath was surprisingly short. He felt nervous and jilted. When did he ever have such a strange account of feelings? He recalled back to 2 momnts of his life when he did. It was when... he waited for Evan to come to his window as he always did before and he was late by 15 minutes. And... when they kissed for the first time. A feeling of naughtiness rose in him; here he was singing this beautiful serious piece and he was thinking raunchy thoughts. But when he looked back at the girl -her face grim while her song said something else- he felt himself... an odd sensation that he couldn't place a finger on.

Everyone sat glued to their seats, watching him with more attentive eyes than they ever had when he gave them private shows, curtesy of his parents. He turned to the young girl playing the piano. She kept her face down, not even looking up. Why? He waited for her to just look up. He sang louder, higher, until his own breath was killing him to just coerce her to look up at him. _'Look up at me. Just look up at me. I want to see, I want to see your eyes.'_  
Her head swayed to the music, her expression with closed eyes looking just like Evangeline's._  
'Look up at me, just for an instant. Let me see your eyes. Are they the same as hers? Are you her?'_

The melody was coming to it's versant ending. Slower and slower, it went. The tinkling notes of baby keys danicng slowly to a halt in the background with such clarity.  
_Tink...........  
Tink........  
Tink......  
Tink....  
Dannnn. _

Without even realizing, a phrase escaped through his lips, "**Ich liebe Sie für immer"  
**_I'll love you forever. _

There was no applause. He gulped and jerked at the awareness to what he had just done. Had he just said that he loved her? Right in front of everyone? She was just someone he met, someone... he remembered from somewhere but couldn't place... Besides, he loved Evan. He knew that he loved Evan, the locket in his pocket was proof of that. But that girl, how did she know that song?  
Was she connected to Evangeline?

Evan...

Wait...

Evan...  
Evangeline...

Evan...  
Evangeline...

Evan..Geline..  
_Evan_geline....

Was there a connection between them? No, there couldn't be... unless... Now, faced with curious with what this girl might be, he moved to the piano where Alex was sitting with the girl and taking her hand up to stand, she still cast her gaze down to the floor. She wriggled her hand out of Alexander's and started clapping briskly. After the first few seconds of clapping, the entire crowd stood up and started clapping as well. Augusta stood up with a bunch of squealing girls around her, shrieking, "I love you too, Karl! I love you!" Alexander was smiling the biggest smile and he held her hand again, for some reason, he felt a pang of of jealousy stab at his heart.

He watched even more in disgust as Alexander had the gall to cup the girl's face with his hands and try to kiss her in front of the clapping audience. Augusta made her way over to him at the same moment and hugged him, "Oh Karl, I feel the same way! I love you so much!! This is the best birthday I've ever had!"  
He watched behind her as the mysterious girl kept her eyes closed and her face turned away. Still, Alexander advanced on her, so close to kissing her puckered lips. However, she cupped his face back and guided his cheek to her lips. Then as quick as she pulled him to her, she ended the peck and walked off away from the circling crowd.

He took this to be his chance to follow her. Augusta still had a hold on him, shriling, "I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!..." He did the unthinkable. He lowered his head quick and kissed her wide forehead. The shock apperantly loosened her grip and he was able to run away from the group of adults that were coming up to congratulate him for the show. He dodged under their open arms, still keeping a very brief view on the girl's dark head.

Down the hall,  
down another corner,  
turn into a door,  
out the door,  
out side, he followed her as she ran in heels holding up the skirt of her dress.

* * *

"Stop! Wait, please!" he cried after her with an outstretched hand towards her. She stopped dead in her tracks, her back to him as the wind blew her hair a bit, her bare back revealed an array of purple scars. He faltered a bit as he walked up to the mysterious girl. No, it couldn't be, it just couldn't. Things like this don't happen in real life. he touched her naked shoulder, a tingle went through both of them. He opened his mouth, about to ask, _"Evan, is that you?"_ But one shouldn't assume too quick.  
He started with something to just be friendly, to be trusting, to confirm, "Hi, I'm Karl Kroenen."

"Yes, I know." the girl answered. Her voice was like a bell, celeste and pure. It didn't sound like Evan, it definitely couldn't have been him. Evan had the smoothest voice, but his voice was more deeper, not as deep as his, but still deeper than this girl's. Okay, she wasn't Evan, she didn't sound like him. Her face was similar -almost a copy- but her body had a more curving motion than Evan's slim torso.

He gulped back, "That.. that was a very nice song you played."

"Thank you." she replied coldly without even looking back at him.

"... Did you write it yourself?"

"No... someone else taught me that song."

"Someone else? Was it a woman?"  
There was a hesitance to her. He figured, _'I knew it, I bet you're her daughter, aren't you?'_

The girl stiffened a bit, her dress rustling, "Yes, her name was Priscilla."

_"Was?"  
_When would someone use 'was' in a sentence like that. Also, who was this Priscilla person?

"She died a long time ago."

"I'm very sorry."

"Thank you."

He let go of her shoulder and walked in front of her, still trying to see a clear view of her face, her head was still downcast. "Um... who are you?"

The girl looked up immediately, her face revealing more than Karl needed to know.

* * *

How could he not know who she was?

They had spent nearly every night with each other since they met!

How could he just ask a stupid question like that?  
Did he already forget her?  
Was he really such a cruel person like that?

She furrowed her brows at him as he still kept staring at her. How dare he just pretend to not know her like that! How dare he! She looked at his finger.. he was wearing her ring!

She thought bitterly to herself, _'Ruprecht... you stupid rat fink! I trusted you, I believed you. You said that you would always be my friend; you would always be there for me! You said that you would never let me get hurt.... but you were the one who hurt me so much...'_

How could he act so dumb?  
So many of questions of "How could he..." buzzed at her head.  
How could he just forget her like that?

She loved him. She even thought for some that he knew about her and loved her back.  
But how could she be so dumb to think that?  
How?

What sort of stupid moron was for her to be; to fall in love with Karl Ruprecht Kroenen.

* * *

_"Evan?"_  
he asked with a shocked voice as he looked deep into the golden pools that masqueraded as eyes.

It was Evan Volksky who stood in front of him...

....He knew it.

* * *

**Yes, Evan is a girl!!**

**The explainations for everything and all the answers will be revealed next chapter!!!!**

**Please review.**

**Complain, mock, put-down, anything! I'm desperate for a review!!!**

* * *


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